Gift

f. I. a gift; as a technical term, the amount to be given by a suitor in consideration of receiving a woman to wife :-- Gif mon wíf gebycgge and sió gyft forþ ne cume if a man buy a wife and the sum agreed upon be not forthcoming, L. In. 31; Th. i. 122, 5. See the note. That matrimony in the olden times was a bargain may be seen by the words used in connection with it, e.g. gebycgan, in the passage above; see also ge-ceápian,ceáp. For an account of such a bargaining see Njál Saga, c. 2. See also Th. i. 254-6, Cl. and Vig. Icel. Dict. mundr, and Grmm. R. A. pp. 419 sqq. II. in pl. f. and n. gifta, giftu marriage; nuptiæ :-- Giftu nuptiæ, Ælfc. Gr. 13; Som. 16, 22: 28, 4; Som. 31, 20: Mone Gl. 433 a. On ðam þriddan dæge wǽron gifta gewordene die tertia nuptiæ factæ sunt, Jn. Bos. 2, 1: Mt. Bos. 22, 3. Crist wearþ to his gyftum gelaðod Christ was invited to his marriage, Homl. Th. i. 58, 10, 11: Hy. 10, 17; Hy. Grn. ii. 293, 17. Æt ðǽm giftan sceal mæsse-preóst beón at the nuptials there shall be a mass-priest,L. Edm. 13, 8; Th. i. 256, 6. Wífigende and gyfta syllende nubentes et nubtum tradentes, Mt. Bos. 24, 38: Lk. Bos. 20, 34. Gifta dón hearm getácnaþ to keep a wedding betokens harm, Lchdm. iii. 208, 21: L. Alf. 12; Th. i. 46, 17. [Laym. Piers P. ȝift gift: O. Frs. jeft: O. H. Ger. gift gift: Goth. fra-gifts espousal: Icel. gipt a gift, wedding.] gift