underfon

Old English

Etymology

Equivalent to under- +‎ fōn.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌun.derˈfoːn/

Verb

underfōn

1. to receive, get
   • late 10th century, Ælfric, "Chair of Saint Peter"

     ...þā læġ þǣr sum creopere lama fram cildhāde sē wæs dæġhwāmlīce ġeboren tō þām beorhtan ġete þæt hē ælmessan underfencge æt þām infarendum...

     Then lay there a cripple, lame from childhood, who was daily carried to the 'Beautiful' Gate, that he might receive alms from those entering.

   • c. 992, Ælfric, "The Nativity of St. Andrew the Apostle"

     Andreas him andwyrde, "Eala gif ðu witan woldest þære halgan rode ġerȳnu, mid hú sceadwisre lufe manncynna Ealdor, for ure edstaðelunge þære rode gealgan underfeng, na geneadod, ac sylfwilles."

     Andrew answered him, "O, if thou wouldst know the mystery of the holy cross, with what discerning love the Prince of mankind received the cross for our re-establishment, not compelled, but of his own will."

   • c. 992, Ælfric, "The Nativity of St. Andrew the Apostle"

     Orsorh and blissigende ic cume to ðe, swa þæt ðu me blissigende underfō, ðæs leorning-cniht ðe on ðe hangode, forðan ðe ic þe symle lufode, and ic gewilnode ðe to ymbclyppenne. Eala ðu góde rod, þe wlite and fægernysse of Drihtnes lymum underfenge, ðu wære gefyrn gewilnod and carfullice gelufod, butan to-forlætennysse gesoht, and nu æt nextan minum wilnigendum mode gegearcod. Onfoh me fram mannum, and agíf me minum Láreowe, þæt he ðurh ðe me underfō, seðe þurh ðe me alysde."

     Cheerful and rejoicing I come to thee, that thou mayst joyfully receive me the disciple of him who hung on thee, for I have ever loved thee, and I have desired to embrace thee. O thou good cross, which didst receive beauty and fairness from the limbs of the Lord, thou hast been of old desired and carefully loved, without intermission sought by, and now at last prepared for my longing mind. Receive me from men, and give me to my Teacher, that he through thee receive me, who through thee hath redeemed me."

2. to submit to
3. to take in, accept, or admit
4. to take upon one's self; to undertake with effort
5. to take up a burden; to undergo, bear
6. to take surreptitiously; to steal

Conjugation

References

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