m. A deacon, minister of the church, levite; diācōnus = διάκoνos a servant, waiting man = Lat. minister, levīta, levītes = λευίτηs :-- Diáconus is þén, ðe þénaþ ðam mæsse-preóste, and ða offrunga sett uppon ðæt weofod, and gódspell eác rǽt æt Godes þénungum. Se mót fulligan cild, and ðæt folc húsligan [i.e. he mót eác hláf sillan, gif þearf biþ he may also give the bread, if need be, L. Ælf. P. 34; Th. ii. 378, 12] deacon is a minister, who ministers to the mass-priest, and sets the offerings upon the altar, and also reads the gospels at God's services. He may baptize children, and housel the people, L. Ælf. C. 16; Th. ii. 348, 12. [Gif frigman] diácones feoh [stele], vi gylde [forgylde] if a freeman steal the property of a deacon, he must repay sixfold, L. Ethb. 1, 4 ; Th. i. 2, 5; 4, 3; about A. D. 599. Swylce diácon hine clǽnsie so let a deacon clear himself, L. Wih. 18; Th. i. 40, 16: L. Eth. ix. 20; Th. i. 344, 15: L. C. E. 5; Th. i. 362, 12, 17: Bd. 3, 20; S. 550, 21. We nú gehýrdon of ðæs diácones múþe we have now heard from the mouth of the deacon, Homl. Th. i. 152, 3. Ða Iudéas sendon diáconas misērunt Iudæi levītas [Wyc. dekenys], Jn. Bos. 1, 19. Diácon levīta [Wyc. dekene], Lk. Bos. 10, 32. Ða apostolas gehádodon seofon diáconas ... Ðæra diácona wæs se forma Stephănus ... Hí mid gebédum and bletsungum to diáconum gehádode wurdon the apostles ordained seven deacons ... The first of the deacons was Stephen ... They were ordained deacons with prayers and blessings, Homl. Th. i. 44, 10, 13, 20: 416, 9, 11. DER. arce-diácon, erce-, under-.