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Old English Dictionary Entry

Cempa

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Definitions

Definitions

1 definitions

1 cempa

m. [camp war, battle, -a, q. v.] A soldier, warrior, CHAMPION; miles, bellator, athleta = GREEK :-- Cempa miles vel athleta, Wrt. Voc. 72, 68. Se cempa oferwon frécnessa fela the champion overcame many perils, Exon. 35a; Th. 113, 2; Gú. 151: Andr. Kmbl. 922; An. 461: Byrht. Th. 135, 17; By. 119: Beo. Th. 2629; B. 1312. Ðá ða cempan hine ahéngon, hí námon his reáf, and worhton feówer dǽlas, ǽlcum cempan ánne dǽl milites cum crucifixissent eum, acceperunt vestimenta ejus, et fecerunt quatuor partes, unicuique militi partem, Jn. Bos. 19, 23. Scyld sceal cempan a shield shall be for a soldier, Exon. 91a; Th. 341, 22; Gn. Ex. 130: Beo. Th. 3901; B. 1948: Andr. Kmbl. 460; An. 230. Woldun hý geteón in orwénnysse Meotudes cempan they would draw God's soldier into despair, Exon. 41a; Th. 136, 28; Gú. 548: Salm. Kmbl. 279; Sal. 139. Húslfatu hálegu cempan genamon the warriors took the holy vessels of sacrifice, Cd. 210; Th. 260, 9; Dan. 707: Fins. Th. 29; Fin. 14. We his þegnas sind, gecoren to cempum we are his thanes, chosen to [be his] warriors, Andr. Kmbl. 647; An. 324. Alǽten cempa a soldier who has served his time, a veteran; emeritus, Ælfc. Gl. 7; Som. 56, 62; Wrt. Voc. 18, 15. Gecorene cempan chosen soldiers, adjutants; optiones, 7; Som. 56, 64; Wrt. Voc. 18, 17. Cempena yldest a chief of soldiers, a commander; militum tribunus, Ors. 4, 9; Bos. 91, 18. Twá hund cempna [ = cempena] two hundred [of] soldiers: manipulus, Ælfc. Gl. 7; Som. 56, 75; Wrt. Voc. 18, 27. Fíf hund cempena ealdor a commander of five hundred soldiers; cohors, 7; Som. 56, 61; Wrt. Voc. 18, 14. DER. féðe-cempa, sige-. cempa
Similar Words

Similar Words

Runic Inscription

Runic Inscription

ᚳᛖᛗᛈᚪ

Possible runic inscription in Anglo-Saxon futhorc

Abbreviations Used

Abbreviations Used

Works & Authors

An.
Andreas (OE poem)
Andr.
Andreas (OE poem)
Beo.
Beowulf
Cd.
Codex Diplomaticus Saxonici (Kemble)
Exon.
Exeter Book
Gú.
Guthlac (OE poem)
Jn.
Gospel of St. John (OE translation)
Ors.
Orosius, Historiarum (OE translation by Alfred)
Sal.
Psalms of Solomon (OE)
Som.
Somner's Dictionarium Saxonico-Latino-Anglicum
Th.
Thorpe, Benjamin (editor)
Voc.
Vocabulary
Wrt.
Wright, T. & Wülcker, R. P., Anglo-Saxon and Old English Vocabularies
Ælfc.
Ælfric
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