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Anglo-Saxon

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cunnian

  • verb [ weak ]
Dictionary links
Wright's OE grammar
§536;
Add:
with gen.
to try, test
Show examples

  • Þæs cunnede sum lǽce

    a certain doctor tested that statement,

      Lch. iii. 152, 6.

  • Ðæt wé his cunnedon hwæþer hit swelc wǽre,

      Nar. 26, 2.

  • Hí woldon cunnian heora mihte on þæs cáseres fyrde ǽr þám þe hig féngon tó sibbe,

      Jud. Thw. 162, 31.

  • Þá apostolas hine létan heora seódas beran ꝥ hié woldan mid þon his gítsunga cunnian,

      Bl. H. 69, 12.

  • Hé hleóp cunnigende his féðes, hwæðer hé cúðe gán,

      Hml. S. 10, 33. (I a) of medical examination :-- Hé cóm and cunnode (cf. fandode his, 434) þæs mannes, Hml. S. 3, 430.
  • Án æþele lǽce . . . cúðe tócnáwan, gif hé cunnode þæs mannes, be his ǽdrena hrepunge hweðer hé hraðe swulte, 568.

  • Neósode hé mín and cunnode,

      Bd. 5, 6; Sch. 579, 19.
to have experience of, to feel
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  • Hé cunnode his mihte, þæt hé mihtig wæs gesceapen,

      Ælfc. T. Grn. 2, 33.
with acc. (or absolute).
To try a plan, put into practice
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  • Geseah hé áídlian his smeágunge, and wolde þágyt cunnian ánes cynnes wíte,

      Hml. S. 4, 400.

  • Hé nán ryhtre geþencan ne meahte þonne hé þone áð ágifan móste . . . Ðá cwæð ic þæt hé wolde cunnigan,

      Cht. Th. 171, 19.
with clause.
to seek to know, enquire
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  • Hí bǽdon his rǽdes, cunnodon hwæðer hé wolde þæs óðres willan gefremman,

      Hml. S. 6, 117.

  • Hé cóm tó Críste, cunnode hwæðer hé ǽnig þing his on him gecneówe,

      Angl. vii. 30, 276.

  • Hé wolde cunnian hwæt ꝥ wǽre ꝥ hé ǽr gehýrde,

      Gr. D. 142, 10.
of attempted action,
to try
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  • Se deófol cunnað hú hé mæge tóbrecan þá gebedu,

      Hml. S. 13, 55.

  • Hié bǽdon ꝥ hié ealle cunnoden, mehten hí heora gemǽnan fiénd him from ádón,

      Ors. 3, 7; S. 118, 14.

  • Cunna hwæðer ðú mæge ádón ðone cíð of ðínes bróður eágan,

      Past. 225, 8.

  • Hé wolde cunnian gif hé mihte hí gebígan fram Godes biggencgum,

      Hml. S. 29, 281: Chr. 992; P. 127, 12.

  • Ic wolde cunnian, meahte ic ealne middangeard ymbféran,

      Nar. 20, 9.
Similar entries
v. for-cunnian.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “cunnian.” 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/42234.

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  • cunnian, v.

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