cræft

Old English

FWOTD - 3 October 2012

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *kraftiz (“strength”), *kraftaz. Cognate with Old Frisian kraft, Old Saxon kraft, Dutch kracht ‘strength’), Old High German kraft (German Kraft ‘strength, ability’).

Pronunciation

• IPA: /kræft/

Noun

cræft m

1. strength, power
   • Uncertain date, Unknown author, Beowulf^[1], line 983:

     siððan æðelingas eorles cræfte ofer hēahne hrōf hand scēawedon, […]

     since athelings all, through the earl’s great prowess, beheld that hand, on the high roof gazing, […]

   • Uncertain date, Unknown author, Beowulf^[2], line 1220:

     cen þec mid cræfte and þyssum cnyhtum wes

     preserve thy strength, and these striplings here

   on ðam gefeohte Mæða cræft gefeol: in that battle the power of the Medes fell.

2. skill, art
   • Uncertain date, Unknown author, Beowulf^[3], line 2697:

     cræft and cēnðu, swā him gecynde wæs;

     […] craft and keenness and courage enduring.

   nan mon ne mæg nænne cræft cyðan butan tolum: no man can show any skill without tools.

3. an occupation

   hwæt begytst ðu of ðinum cræfte?: what do you get by your trade?

4. a device, especially magical

   wæs æfre unbegunnen Scyppend, se ðe gemacode swylcne cræft: the Creator, who made such a work, was ever without beginning.

Declension

    Declension of cræft (strong a-stem)

	Singular	Plural
nominative	cræft	cræftas
accusative	cræft	cræftas
genitive	cræftes	cræfta
dative	cræfte	cræftum

Related terms

• tungolcræft - astronomy
• tungolcræftwíse - astronomy

Descendants

• English: craft