þafian

Old English

Alternative forms

• þafan, þeafian

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *þabōną, from *þabaz (“fitting; appropriate”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈθɑ.fi.ɑn/,

Verb

þafian

1. to consent or agree to, to let happen or be done, to take up
   • 1921, Joseph Bosworth & Thomas Northcote Toller, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, German Lexicon Project
   • (with accusative):
     1. Swá hwylc swá morþorslege þafaþ and hine man ðonne fremmeþ. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     2. Heó hine monede ðæt hé weoruldhád forlæte and munucháde onnfénge. Ond hé ðæt well ðafode. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     3. Ðé sint tú gearu swá líf swá deáð, swá ðé leófre biþ tó geceósanne; cýð hwæt ðú ðæs tó þinge þafian wille. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     4. Næfre ic ðæs þeódnes þafian wille mægrædenne. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
   • (with dative):
     1. Gé þafiaþ eówer fædera weorcum. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     2. Ðafande woeron feh him tó seallanne. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
   • (with clause):
     1. Gif hé þafaþ ðæt hé út gá of minstre. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     2. Þafodest ðú ðæt mé þeówmennen drehte. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     3. Þafa ðæt ic út ádó ðæt mot of ðínum eágan. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     4. Ða eorlas þafigan ne woldon ðæt hié forléton leófne láreów. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
2. to submit to, to suffer, to bear
   • 1921, Joseph Bosworth & Thomas Northcote Toller, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, German Lexicon Project
     1. Ðé þincþ se earmra se ðæt yfel déþ ðonne se ðe hit þafaþ. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     2. Sum gewealden-mód þafaþ in geþylde ðæt hé sceal. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     3. Eal ðæt hé for ús þafode and ðolode. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     4. Ða eádigan martyras mænigfealde earfoðnyssa ðafedon. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     5. Se þeódcyning ðafian sceolde Eofores ánne dóm. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     6. Ic sceal þinga gehwylc þolian and þafian on ðínne dóm. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     7. Hié derede ægðer ge þurst ge hæte, and ealne ðone dæg wæron ðæt þafiende. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
3. to bear with, to tolerate
   • 1921, Joseph Bosworth & Thomas Northcote Toller, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, German Lexicon Project
     1. Hé ilde and ðafode ða scylda and ðeáh hé him gecýðde. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     2. Þatt Godd ne þole nohht ne þafe laþe gastess to winnenn oferrhannd off uss. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Conjugation

Synonyms

• forberan
• geþolian
• geþyldan
• geþyldigian
• þolian
• þwærlæcan

Derived terms

• geþafa
• geþafian
• geþafung
• þafung

Descendants

• Middle English: thaven

References

• John R. Clark Hall (1916) “þafian”, in A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary‎, 2nd edition, New York: Macmillan
• Old English to Modern English Translator