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Old English Dictionary Entry

Ge-swincfull

Back to Letter G
Definitions

Definitions

1 definitions

1 ge-swincfull

Substitute: I. of persons, (1) laborious, industrious. I. :-- Mǽden scamfæst, geswincful, clǽne, Lch. iii. 192, 2 : 23. Þæs hádes men þe hwýlum wǽron geswincfulleste on godcundan þeówdóme, þá ne swincaþ á swíðe ymbe ǽnige þearfe, Ll. Th. ii. 322, 20. (2) full of trouble, that has to contend with difficulties, that endures hardships. Cf. ge-swinc; III :-- Cild ácenned gímeleás, geswincful (or under (3)?) on forman ylde (cf. hé bið þrowere, 156, 27 : both passages refer to one born on the tenth day of the moon), Lch. iii. 188, 19. Hé bið geswincfull (or under (1) ?) on his lífe (cf. cild ácenned (on the 24th day) winnende, 194, 27), 158, 13. (3) causing trouble, troublesome :-- Gif hié yfele sint ðonne sint hié þé pleólicran and geswincfulran (Fox prints geswicnefulran, but Sedgefield gives only ge-swincfulran) gehæfd þonne genæfd si vitiosi moribus sunt, perniciosa damns sarcina, Bt. 14, 1; F. 42, 22 note. II. of action, (1) that involves labour, laborious, toilsome, difficult :-- Hit bið swíðe geswincful ðæt mon ǽlcne mon scyle onsundrum lǽran, hit is ðeáh earfoðre ealle ætsomne tó lǽranne cum valde laboriosum sit unumquemque instruere, longe tamen laboriosius est auditores innumeros uno eodemque tempore instruere, Past. 453, 10. Geswincfulnyss nys menn forlǽtan his, ac swýþe geswincful ys forlǽtan hine sylfne laboriosum non est homini relinquere sua, sed ualde laboriosum esi relinquere semetipsum, Scint. 60, 12. Geswincfulles gewinnes laboriosi certaminis, An. Ox. 1115. (2) that requires effort, energy, &c. , active (not contemplative) :-- Ðás twá geswustru hæfdon getácnunge ðises andweardan lífes and ð æs écan . . . Ǽgðer líf is herigendlic, ac þæt án is swá ðeáh geswincful, Hml. Th. ii. 442, 34. Geswincfulre practicae, i. actualis (conversations), geswincfulactualem, An. Ox. 994, 996. III. of condition, in which trouble is experienced, of great distress :-- cúð is gehwilcum menn þæt þis líf is geswincful and on swáte wunað, Hml. S. 34, 142. [Ðis wæs swíðe geswincfull gear and byrstfull on eorðwæstman, Chr. 1116; P. 246, 33.]
Similar Words

Similar Words

Runic Inscription

Runic Inscription

ᚷᛖ-ᛋᚹᛁᚾᚳᚠᚢᛚᛚ

Possible runic inscription in Anglo-Saxon futhorc

Abbreviations Used

Abbreviations Used

Works & Authors

An.
Andreas (OE poem)
Bt.
Boethius, De Consolatione Philosophiæ (OE translation by Alfred)
Chr.
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
Fox
Fox, Samuel (Modern English translator of Boethius)
Hml.
Homilies (Ælfric or other)
Ll.
Laws of the Anglo-Saxons
Past.
Alfred's Pastoral Care (Gregory's Cura Pastoralis)
S.
Sievers, E. (editor/scholar)
Th.
Thorpe, Benjamin (editor)
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