Þearl

According to the Old English Dictionary:

þearl

adj. (1) of persons, severe, strict :-- Se ðearla and se ryhtwísa Déma districtus judex, Past. 21; Swt. 167, 22. (2) of things, (a) pain, punishment, effort, and the like, severe :-- Hé ðý wyrs meahte þolian ða þráge, ðá hió swá þearl becom, Met. 1, 77. Þreánýd þearl, Elen. Kmbl. 1404; El. 704. Wæs seó ádl þearl, Exon. Th. 160, 30; Gú. 951. And suá ðý ðearlan dóme hé forleás his mennisce ut districto justoque judicio homo esse perderet, Past. 4; Swt. 39, 23. Heó þrowedon þearl æfterleán, Cd. Th. 5, 24; Gen. 76. Þreá wǽron þearfe, Exon. Th. 135, 4; Gú. 519: Ps. Th. 104, 12: 149, 7. Wéndon hié wera cwealmes, þearlra geþinga, Andr. Kmbl. 3194; An. 1600. Ðirst and hungor and ðearle gewin, Salm. Kmbl. 946; Sal. 472. (b) utter, excessive :-- þýstru ðú gesettest on þearle niht (night utterly dark) posuisti tenebras, et facta est nox, Ps. Th. 103, 19. þearl