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Anglo-Saxon

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swincan

  • verb [ strong ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
swincan, p. swanc, pl. swuncon; pp. swuncen.
Wright's OE grammar
§289; §489;
to toil, labour, work with effort
Show examples
  • Hwæt dést ðú on ðís folce ? hwí swingst ðú ána ? Ex. 18, 14.

  • Hé nǽre ná ælmihtig, gyf him ǽnig gefadung earfoðe wǽre. His nama is omnipotens, ðæt ys, ælmihtig, for ðan ðe hé mæg eall ðæt hé wile, and his miht náhwár ne swincþ

    his power nowhere works with effort,

      Lchdm. iii. 278, 17.

  • Unnytlíce wé swincaþ, ðonne wé ús gebid-daþ, gif. . . . Bt. 41,

      2; Fox 246, 21.

  • Cumaþ tó mé ealle ðe swincaþ (wyrcas ł winnes, Lind. : winnaþ, Rush.

    laboraits).

      Mt. Kmbl. 11, 28: Met. 4, 56.

  • Búton Drihten timbriende hús on ýdel swingaþ (

    laboraverunt

    ) ða ðe timbriaþ,
      Ps. Spl. 126, 1.

  • Git

    (Beowulf and Breca in their match)

    seofon niht swuncon,
      Beo. Th. 1038; B. 517.

  • Óðre swuncon

    (laboraverunt),

    and gé eodun on hyra geswinc.
      Jn. Skt. 4, 38.

  • Swince

    laboret,

      Wülck. Gl. 250, 31.

  • Swunce máre se ðe unriht gestreón on his handa stóde and læsse se ðe áriht on sprǽce he in whose hand was unjust gain should take the greater trouble, he who made claim rightfully the less, L. Eth. ii. 9; Th. i. 290, 4. I a. with prep. marking the end of the labour,

    to labour

    at, after, etc. , anything :-- Ne swincþ hé náuht æfter ðam hú hé foremǽrost seó; ne nán mon ne begit ðæt hé æfter ne swincþ,
      Bt. 33, 2 ; Fox 122, 33-35.

  • Hé swanc for heofonan rice mid singalum gebede,

      Homl. Skt. ii. 26, 111.

  • Ðe læs ðe unmihtig man feorr for his ágenon swince,

      L. Ff. ; Th. i. 226, 1.

  • Ic wundrige hwí swá manige wíse men swá swíþe swuncen mid ðære sprǽce,

      Bt. 41, 4; Fox 250, 20.

  • Ðú swíþor swincst on ðam sporé, ðonne hí dón,

      38, 5 ; Fox 206, 13.

  • Suá hwá suá suinceþ (swinceþ,

      Cott. MSS. ) on
    ðæn ðæt hé leornige unþeáwas, Past. 36; Swt. 251, 4.

  • Æfter ðam unrihte ðe hí an swincaþ,

      Ps. Th. 27, 5.
  • Hé geseah hí on réwette swincende. Mk. Skt. 6, 48.

  • Hí swincaþ wið synnum. Exon. Th. 150,

      21; Gú. 782.

  • Ða ðe meahton Godes friénd beón bútan gesuince hié snuncon (swuncon, Cote. MSS. ) ymb ðæt hú hié meahton gesyngian

    qui amici veritatis sine labore poterant, ut peccent laborant.

      Past. 35; Swt. 239, 21.

  • Ða race sóhton and ymb swuncon,

      Bt. 39, 4; Fox 216, 16.

  • Hwý gé ymb ðæt unnet swincen,

      Met. 10, 21.

  • Ne þearfe ic swíþe ymbe ðæt swincan, Bt- 35,

      3; Fox 158, 8,
to be troubled, travail, be in difficulty or
distress
Show examples

  • Ic swince on mínre gránunge

    laboravi in gemitu meo,

      Ps. Th. 6, 5.

  • On hú grimmum seáðe swinceþ ðæt sweorcende mód,

      Met. 3, 2.

  • Ic swanc

    (laboravi)

    on minre geómrunge.
      Ps. Lamb, 6, 7.

  • Ð ám wífum ðe æfter beorþre on sumum stówum swincen,

      Lchdm. i. 344, 2. [Cf.
    Ðonne se ufera dǽl ðæs líchoman on ǽnigum sáre oððe on earfeþum geswince, 332, 9.] II a. of inanimate things :-- Gif se midwinter byþ on Seternesdeag, ðonne byþ windig lengten and westmas swincaþ and scép cwellaþ

    the fruits of the earth will not thrive, and sheep will die,

      Lchdm. iii. 164, 11.
Etymology
[The verb is common in Middle English and is used as late as Spenser's time.]
Similar entries
v. be-swincan (for ge-swincan,
see under
above) ; swencan.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “swincan.” 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/29816.

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Full form

Word-wheel

  • swincan, v.

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