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Old English Dictionary Entry

Be-drífan

Back to Letter B
Definitions

Definitions

1 definitions

1 be-drífan

p. -dráf, -drǽf, pl. -drifon; pp. -drifen ; I. to drive, thrust on or upon, to compel, constrain or enforce one to do a thing, to pursue, follow; cogere, compellere, agere, adigere :-- Perðica hine bedráf into ánum fæstene Perdiccas drove him into a fastness, Ors. 3, 11; Bos. 72, 38. Hí him hám bedrifon [MS. bedrifan] and sige áhton they drove them home and had a victory, Bd. 1, 14; S. 482, 20. Wiht ða húðe him bedrǽf a creature drove the spoil home, Exon. 108 a; Th. 412, 5; Rä. 30, 9. Ðú bedrifen [MS. bidrifen] wurde on ðas þeóstran worulde thou wast driven into this dark world, Exon. 28 b; Th. 86, 17; Cri. 1409. II. to drive or beat against, to surround; obruere, obducere, circumflare :-- He geseah stapulas standan storme bedrifene he saw columns standing driven by the storm, Andr. Kmbl. 2987; An. 1496 : Rood Kmbl. 123; Kr. 62. DER. drífan. be-drifan
Runic Inscription

Runic Inscription

ᛒᛖ-ᛞᚱᛁᚠᚪᚾ

Possible runic inscription in Anglo-Saxon futhorc

Abbreviations Used

Abbreviations Used

Works & Authors

An.
Andreas (OE poem)
Andr.
Andreas (OE poem)
Bd.
Bede, Historia Ecclesiastica (OE translation)
Cri.
Christ (OE poem by Cynewulf)
Exon.
Exeter Book
Ors.
Orosius, Historiarum (OE translation by Alfred)
S.
Sievers, E. (editor/scholar)
Th.
Thorpe, Benjamin (editor)
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