gefa

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Icelandic

Etymology

From Old Norse gefa, from Proto-Germanic *gebaną, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰab(ʰ)-. Compare Old English giefan (give) (whence English give).

Pronunciation

Verb

gefa (strong verb, third-person singular past indicative gaf, third-person plural past indicative gáfu, supine gefið)

  1. (transitive, governs the accusative) to give something
    • Á Sprengisandi (“On Sprengisandur”) by Grímur Thomsen
      Ríðum, ríðum, rekum yfir sandinn,
      rökkrið er að síga á Herðubreið,
      álfadrottning er að beizla gandinn,
      ekki er gott að verða á hennar leið;
      vænsta klárinn vildi eg gefa til
      að vera kominn ofan í Kiðagil.
      Ride, ride, ride hard across the sands,
      darkness settles over Herðubreið.
      The Queen of the elves bridles her steed -
      be careful not to cross her path.
      My best horse I'd give
      to be safely back in Kiðagil.
  2. (ditransitive, governs the dative and accusative) to give somebody something

Conjugation

Derived terms

Old Norse

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *gebaną (to give), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰab(ʰ)-. Cognate with Old English ġiefan (English give), Old Frisian jeva, Old Saxon gevan, Old Dutch gevan, Old High German geban, Gothic 𐌲𐌹𐌱𐌰𐌽 (giban).

Pronunciation

Verb

gefa (singular past indicative gaf, plural past indicative gáfu, past participle gefinn)

  1. (transitive) to give something
  2. (ditransitive) to give someone something
  3. gefa stað/staðar + dative: stop, cause to cease

Conjugation

Alternative forms

  • ᚴᛅᚠ (kaf)first/third singular past indicative, Runic form
  • ᚴᛅᚠᚢ (kafu)third plural past indicative, Runic form

Descendants

References

  • gefa”, in Geir T. Zoëga (1910) A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press