onbærnan

By surface analysis, on- +‎ bærnan.

• IPA^(key): /onˈbær.nɑn/,

onbærnan

1. to set fire to, to burn
   • late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans

     ⁊ hæfdon ġeleornad mā cræfta hū hīe þā elpendas beswīcan mehton, mid þǣm þæt hīe nāmon trēowu, ⁊ slōgon on oþerne ende moniġe sċearpe īsene næġlas, ⁊ hīe mid flexe bewundon, ⁊ onbǣrndon hit, ⁊ beþyddan hit þonne on þone elpend hindan...

     And they had learned more tricks through which they could ensnare the elephants; they took stakes and drove into the other end many sharp iron nails, and wrapped them in flax, and set them on fire, and then thrust them into the elephant from behind...

2. to heat
3. to incite, kindle desire to do something

• Joseph Bosworth and T. Northcote Toller (1898) “on-bærnan”, in An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary‎, 2nd edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press.