Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

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grétan

  • verb [ weak ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
grétan, he grét, pl. grétaþ; p. grétte, pl. grétton; pp. gréted.
Wright's OE grammar
§129; §300; §528; §531;
to approach, come to, visit, touch, attack, treat or
use in any way, know carnally; appropinquare, adire, visitare, tangere, hostiliter aggredi, afficere, cognoscere
Show examples

  • Ðú wyrmas gyt gífre grétaþ

    the greedy worms yet come to thee,

      Exon. 100 a; Th. 375, 14; Seel. 138.

  • Ðonne hine engel grétte

    when the angel visited him,

    37 b;
      Th. 123, 25; Gú. 328.

  • Nó he ðone gifstól grétan móste

    he might not touch the throne [gift-seat],

      Beo. Th. 339; B. 168.

  • Sum mid hondum nsæg hearpan grétan

    one may touch the harp with hands,

      Exon. 79 a; Th. 296, 11; Crä. 49.

  • Siððan wæs eallum ðám óðrum swá mycel ege fram him, ðǽt hí hine grétan ne dorstan

    afterwards the others were in so much fear of him, that they durst not attack him,

      Ors. 5, 2; Bos. 102, 3.

  • On sceortne -as geendiaþ grécisce naman ac we ne grétaþ nú ða

    Greek nouns end in short -as, but we shall not treat them now,

      Ælfc. Gr. 9, 24; Som. 10, 57.

  • Se dǽl se ðæt flód ne grétte

    the part that the water did not touch,

      1, 3; Bos. 27, 29.

  • Gomen-wudu gréted wæs

    the glee-wood was touched,

      Beo. Th. 2134; B. 1065.

  • Ðæt he ne grétte goldweard ðone

    that he should not assail that gold-ward [that dragon],

      Beo. Th. 6154; B. 3081: Bd. 3, 11; S. 536, 41.

  • Gif ðe ǽnig mid weán gréteþ

    if any one entreat thee evil,

      Cd. 83; Th. 105, 18; Gen. 1755.

  • He ne grétte hí

    non cognoscebat eam,

      Mt. Bos. 1, 25.
to speak to, call upon, hail, greet, welcome, salute, take leave of, bid farewell to; alloqui, invocare, ciere, salutare, lætari de, valedicere
Show examples

  • Gomol eówic grétan hét the aged [prince] commanded to greet you, Beo. Th. 6182; B. 3095: Past. Pref. Swt. 3, 1; Hat. MS. Ælfríc munuc grét Æðelwærd ealdorman

    Ælfric the monk greets alderman Ethelward,

      Pref. Thw. 1, 1.

  • Ðonne he on gaton gréteþ his grame feondas

    cum loquetur inimicis suis in porta,

      Ps. Th. 126, 6.

  • Gif man mannan mid bismær wordum scandlíce gréte

    if a man address another shamefully with abusive words,

      L. H. E. 11; Th. i. 32, 5.

  • Hý grétte blíðum wordum

    he addressed her with kind words,

      Exon. 68 a; Th. 252, 17; Jul. 164.

  • His God grétte

    addressed his God,

      Andr. Kmbl. 2059; An. 1032.

  • Ongunnon hine grétan

    cæperunt salutare eum,

      Mk. Bos. 15, 18.

  • Cwén grétte guman on healle

    the queen greeted the men in the hall,

      Beo. Th. 1232; B. 614.

  • Wulfas hilde grétton

    the wolves hailed the battle,

      Cd. 151; Th. 189, 8; Exod. 181.

  • Wác ne grétton in ðæt rinc-getæl

    the weak they welcomed not into that martial number,

      Cd. 154; Th. 192, 18; Exod. 233.

  • Hróþgár grétte Beówulf

    Hrothgar took leave of Beowulf,

      Beo. Th. 1308; B. 652.
Etymology
[Orm. gretenn: Laym. græten to accost, greet; p. grætte: O. Sax. grótian: N. Frs. groetjen: O. Frs. gréta: N. Dut. groeten: N. Ger. grüszen: M. H. Ger. grüezen: O. H. Ger. gruoȝan.]
Derived forms
DER. ge-grétan.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “grétan.” 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/17502.

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Full form

Word-wheel

  • grétan, v.

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