Ge-byrd

gen. dat. -byrde; acc. -byrde, -byrd; pl. nom. gen. acc. a; dat. um; f : ge -byrdo; indecl. in s; f : found in both s. and pl. without any apparent difference of meaning. I. birth, origin, beginning, parentage, family, lineage; nativitas, origo, stirps, genus :-- Bearnes þurh gebyrde through the birth of a child, Exon. 9 a; Th. 5, 28; Cri. 76. Þurh bearnes gebyrd through child-birth, 8 b; Th. 3, 18; Cri. 38. On dæg gebyrde die natalis, Mt. Kmbl. Rush. 14, 6. Wítgan cýþdon Cristes gebyrd prophets announced Christ's birth, 8 b; Th. 5, 5; Cri. 65. Bearnes gebyrda the infant's birth, 18 b; Th. 45, 24; Cri. 724 : L. Edg. C. 13; Th. ii. 246, 22. Cennan bearn mid gebyrdum to bring forth children by birth, Exon. 89 a; Th. 334, 32; Gn. Ex. 25. Wæs he líchomlícre gebyrde æðeles cynnes erat carnis origine nobilis, Bd. 2, 7; S. 509, 15. Of ðære cynelícan gebyrdo de stirpe regiå, 5, 7; S. 621, 8, note 8. Be ðam gebyrdum concerning parentage, Bt. 30, 1; Fox 108, 19. II. nature [what a man is natu by birth, or to what he is natus born], quality, state, condition, lot, fate; natura, qualitas, conditio, sors, fatum :-- God ána wát ymb ðæs fugles gebyrd God alone knows concerning the bird's nature, Exon. 61 a; Th. 223, 16; Ph. 360. Ic cann engla gebyrdo I know the nature of the angels, Cd. 27; Th. 37, 2; Gen. 583. Ǽghwilc gylt be hys gebyrdum every one pays according to his condition, Ors. 1, 1; Bos. 20, 35. Náh seó módor geweald bearnes blǽdes, ac sceal on gebyrd faran án æfter ánum the mother hath not power over her child's happiness, but according to his fate [what he is born to] one shall go after another, Salm. Kmbl. 770; Sal. 384. Hie on gebyrd hruron gáre wunde they fell according to their fate, wounded by the spear, Beo. Th. 2153 : B. 1074. Or in the last two instances may 'gebyrd' be referred to 'gebyrian' to happen? [O. Sax. gi-burd, f. nativitas, genus : Ger. geburt, f : Goth. ga-baurþs, f.] DER. eág-gebyrd, eorl-, sib-, weoruld-.