Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

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DELFAN

  • verb [ strong ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
DELFAN, ic delfe, ðú delfest, dilfst, he delfeþ, dilfþ, pl. delfaþ; p. ic, he dealf, ðú dulfe, pl. dulfon; subj. delfe, pl. delfen; p. dulfe, pl. dulfen; pp. dolfen; v. a.
Wright's OE grammar
§64; §80; §111; §293; §294; §499;
To dig, dig out, DELVE; fŏdĕre, effŏdĕre
Show examples

  • Ne mæg ic delfan

    fŏdĕre non văleo,

    • Lk. Bos. 16,
      • 3.

  • Ongan he eorþan delfan

    he began to dig the earth,

    • Elen. Kmbl. 1655
      • ;
    • El. 829
      • .

  • Ic delfe

    fŏdio,

    • Ælfc. Gr. 28,
      • 6;
    • Som. 32,
      • 45.

  • Ðǽr þeófas hit delfaþ

    ubi fures effŏdiunt,

    • Mt. Bos. 6, 19, 20: Exon. 111 b
      • ;
    • Th. 427,
      • 27;
    • Rä. 41,
      • 97.

  • Ic dealf ðisne pytt

    ego fodi pŭteum istum,

    • Gen. 21,
      • 30.

  • Se dealf deópe

    qui fodit in altum,

    • Lk. Bos. 6,
      • 48.

  • Wæterpyttas ðe ge ne dulfon

    wells which ye dug not,

    • Deut. 6,
      • 11.

  • Hí dulfon áne mycle díc

    they dug a great ditch,

    • Chr. 1016
      • ;
    • Erl. 155, 22: Ex. 7, 24: Ps. Lamb. 21, 17: Ps. Th. 56,
      • 8.

  • Swelce hwá delfe eorþan

    as if any one should dig the earth,

    • Bt. 40,
      • 6;
    • Fox 242,
      • 5.

  • Gif se delfere ða eorþan nó ne dulfe

    if the digger had not dug the earth,

    • 40,
      • 6;
    • Fox. 242,
      • 7.
Etymology
[
Prompt. delvyn' fŏdĕre:
Wyc. delue:
Piers P. delven:
Chauc. delve:
Laym. dælfen, deluen:
Orm. dellfeþþ burieth:
Plat. dölben:
O. Sax. bi-delƀan to bury:
Frs. dollen:
O. Frs. delva, dela:
Dut. delven:
Ger. delben:
M. H. Ger. tëlben:
O. H. Ger. bi-telban sepelīre
.]
Derived forms
a-delfan, be-, ge-, of-, þurh-, under-, upa-, úta-
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “DELFAN.” In An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary Online, edited by Thomas Northcote Toller, Christ Sean, and Ondřej Tichy. Prague: Faculty of Arts, Charles University, 2014. https://bosworthtoller.com/7547.

Checked: 1
Full form

Word-wheel

  • DELFAN, v.

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