gisl

See also: gísl

Old English

Alternative forms

• ġīsel

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *gīsl, from Proto-Germanic *gīslaz, a loanword from Proto-Celtic *gēstlos. Cognate with Old Saxon gīsal, Old Dutch *gīsal, Old High German gīsal, Old Norse gísl.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jiːsl/, [jiːzl]

Noun

ġīsl m

1. a hostage

   Hū lange hieltst þū ūs tō ġīslum?

   How long are you going to hold us hostage?

   Wē ġīslas wurdon on þone hrōf ġebrōht þæt man ġesāwe þæt wē ġīet lifden.

   They took us hostages up on the roof so people could see that we were still alive.

   • late 9th century, translation of Orosius' History Against the Pagans

     Hē ġenīedde bēġen þā cyningas þæt hīe sealdon heora suna tō ġīslum.

     He forced both the kings to give their sons as hostages.

Declension

Declension of gisl (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	ġīsl	ġīslas
accusative	ġīsl	ġīslas
genitive	ġīsles	ġīsla
dative	ġīsle	ġīslum

Derived terms

• ġīslhād
• ġīslian
• Ēadgils