Leornian

According to the Old English Dictionary:

leornian

Add: I. to acquire knowledge of a subject, skill in an art &c. . as a result of study, enquiry, experience or teaching. (1) with object :-- Sélre mé wæs þæt þú mé gehnǽgdest, and ic syþþan þín sððfæst weorc leornade bonum mihi quod humiliasti me, ut discam justificationes tuas, Ps. Th. 118, 71. Hú ne wást þú þæt þú leornodest on Ptolomeus bócum ? sicut Ptolomaeo probante didicisti, Bt. 18, 1 ; F. 62, 6. Him þíes Wedera þeóden wræce leornode (cf. Milton's 'study of revenge'), B. 2336. Wé ǽ leornedon, El. 397. Hí leornedan láð weorc Gode didicerunt opera eorum, Ps. Th. 105, 26. Hé wolde þæt þá cnihtas cræft eornedon, Dan. 83. Leorna þás láre, Sch. 23: Fä. 61. Leorniaþ wísdóm, and þonne gé hine geleornod hæbben, ne forhogiaþ hine þonne, Bt. 16, 1; F. 50, 25. Þæt hí leornigen ðone cræft geþylde on þám langan geswince, 39, 11 ; F. 228, 25. Þisne cræft (bóccræft) leornian, Angl. viii. 308, 26. Syndon þrý deáðas leornode on bócum, Verc. Först. 102, 15. Siofon heofonas sindon in gewritum leornode, Nap. 50. 2. (2) with a clause :-- Ic wolde ꝥ þú leornodest hú þú mihtest becuman tó þám sóþum gesǽlþum superest, ut unde veram hanc beatitudinem petere possis agnoscas, Bt. 33, 3; F. 126, 29. Leorna þé seolfa and geþancmeta þíne móde on hwilce healfe þú wille hwyrft dón, Gen. 1916. Leornigeað (discite) hwæt is, 'Ic wylle mildheortnesse næs onsægdnesse,' Mt. 9, 13. Ðá ongan hé smeágan and leornigan on him selfum hú hé ꝥ ríce þám cyninge áferran mihte, Bt. 1; F. 2, 18. Þonne is leornod on bócum þæt on þysse worulde sýn fíf onlícnessa be helle gryre, Verc. Först. 106, 11: 109, 4. (3) with infin. :-- Sé þe nǽfre ne leornde specan qui numquam didicit loqui, Scint. 80, 17. I a. to learn a book, read with the intention of gaining knowledge :-- Hú ne sǽde ic þé ǽr þæt þu hyt scealt sécan on þǽre béc þe wit þá ymbsprǽcon ? Leorna þá bóc, þonne findst þú hyt þǽr, Solil. H. 65, 8. Hé forbeád openlíce þæt mon náne fæste bóc ne leornode aperto praecepit edicto, ne quis Christianus docendorum liberalium studiorum professor esset, Ors. 6, 31; S. 286, 4. II. intrans. (1) to acquire knowledge of a subject, to receive instruction, study :-- Tó Lǽdensprǽce on þǽre ðe wé leorniað, Hml. S. 15, 110. Forlét hé fæder and módor and on óðrum earde leornode, Hml. Th. ii. 334, 3. Hé hiene benǽmde . . . þǽre scóle þe hé on leornode, Ors. 6, 31; S. 284, 24. Húmeta cann þes stafas þonne hé ne leornode?, Jn. 7, 15. Ðá þe firwetgeorne weorþaþ and onginnaþ leornian, Bt. 39, 3; F. 216, 5. (2) with prep. :-- Wé leornodon be þám wælhreówan Bisiridem . . . þæs leódhatan gewuna wæs ꝥ . . . , Bt. 16, 2; F. 52, 29. II a. to read :-- Þý lǽs ic lenge þone þanc hefige þára leornendra (legentium), Guth. Gr. 102, 32. III. to acquire knowledge of a fact, hear of something :-- Wé leornodon ꝥ hwílum gebyrede swíþe ungecyndelic yfel, Bt. 31, 1; F. 112, 12.

Related words: þurh-leornian. leornian