Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

Dictionary online

swencan

  • verb [ weak ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
swencan, p. te; pp. swenced, swenct (cf. swinkt = wearied, Comus v. 293)
Wright's OE grammar
§531;
To cause a person to labour, to cause trouble to a person
where no good is implied,
to harass, vex, afflict, distress
Show examples
  • Ic swencu hió

    adfligam illos.

      Ps. Surt. 17, 39.
  • Hwí swencst ðú ðis folc . . . Pharaon swencþ ðín folc cur afflixisti populum istum?. . .

    Pharao afflixit populum tuum,

      Ex. 5, 22-23.
  • Ǽlc deáþlíc man swencþ hine selfne mid manig*-*fealdum ymbhogum

    omnis mortalium cura, quam multiplicium studiorum labor exercet,

      Bt. 24, 1.; Fox 80, 6.
  • Eów nǽnig wiht ne deraþ ne ne swenceþ,

      Blickl. Homl. 239, 12.
  • Suenceth defatiget, Wrt. Voc. ii. 106, 3. Defatiget, lassat, swenceþ,

    flagellat,

      138, 16.
  • Ða ðe mé swencaþ

    qui tribulant me,

      Ps. Th. 12, 5.
  • Hwí swenctest ðú (

    afflixisti

    ) ðínne þeów?
      Num. 11, 11.
  • Man swencte ðæt earme folc ðe on ðám scipon lágon,

      Cl. r. 999; Erl. 135, 32.
  • Hine wundra fela swe[n]cte on sunde,

      Beo. Th. 3024;, B. 1510.
  • Ða werigan gástas ðe mé swenctan and drycton

    qui me premebant spiritus maligni,

      Bd. 3, 11; S. 536, 37.
  • On ðínre hátheortnesse ne swenc mé

    ne in furore tuo corripias me,

      Ps. Th. 6, 1.
  • Beorge hé ðæt hé áwóh ne befó, ðý læs ðe hine mon swence swá hé óðerne man þohte,

      L. Eth. ii. 9; Th. i. 290, 8.
  • Þeáh hine se wind woruldearfoþa swíðe swence,

      Met. 7, 50.
  • Ðý læs ðe mon unmihtigne man tó feor and tó lange for his ágenan swencte

    lest a man of small means should be made to toil too far and too long for his own,

      L. Eth. ii. 9; Th. i. 290, 4.
  • Ne sceal nán mon siócne monnan gesárgodne swencan, ac hine mon sceolde lǽdan tó ðam lǽce,

      Bt. 38, 7; Fox 210, 20.
  • Hé (

    William I

    ) lét castelas wyrcean and earme men swíðe swencean,
      Chr. 1086; Erl. 222, 21.
  • Ðú ðec sylfne ne þearft swíþor swencan

    you need not trouble yourself any more,

      Exon. Th. 245, 19; Jul. 47.
  • Wítebendum swencan,

      Andr. Kmbl. 218; An. 109.
  • Perseus wæs ealne ðone geár Rómáne swíþe swencende,

      Ors. 4, 11; Swt. 208, 13.
  • Forhwon sindun gé swæncende (

    molesti

    ) ðam wífe?
      Mt. Kmbl. Rush. 26, 10.
  • Fram unclǽnum gáste swenced beón

    ab immundo spiritu vexari,

      Bd. 3, 11; S. 536, 11.
  • Mid ða ádle swenced

    affectus incommodo,

      4, 31; S. 610, 21.
  • Swá gewinnfullícum fyrdum swencte beón

    tam laboriosis expeditionibus fatigari,

    l,
      12; S. 481, 4: 2, 18; S. 520, 36.
where a good result is intended,
to mortify, chasten
Show examples
  • Ða sylfan, ðe hí mid ðám wítum ðreágeaþ and swenceaþ (

    adfligunt

    ), lufiaþ eác,
      Bd. 1, 27; S. 490, 18.
  • Hí firenlustas forberaþ . . . swencaþ hí sylfe, sáwle frætwaþ,

      Exon. Th. 150, 13; Gú. 778.
  • Ða láreówas sceolan heora ágenne líchoman swencean on forhæfdnesse,

      Blickl. Homl. 81, 6.
  • [O. E. Homl. A. R. Laym. swenchen: Orm. swennkenn, swennchenn: O. H. Ger. swenchen verberare].
Similar entries
v. ge-swencan; swincan.
Full form

Word-wheel

  • swencan, v.