eallswa

Old English

Alternative forms

• ealswā
• æalswa — Anglian

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *allswā, equivalent to eall +‎ swā. Cognate with Old Frisian alsa (“all so”), Old Saxon also (“all so”), Old High German alsō (“so, all so”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈæ͜ɑllˌswɑː/, [ˈæ͜ɑɫˌswɑː]

Adverb

eallswā

1. just as, just so
   • c. 995, Ælfric, Homilies

     Wē cweðað nū, mid fullum ġelēafan, þæt Crist is sōð witega, and ealra witegena Witega, and þæt he is sōðlīċe ðæs Ælmihtiġan Godes Sunu, ealswā mihtiġ swā his Fæder, mid ðām hē leofað and rīxað on ānnysse ðæs Hālġan Gāstes, ā būtan ende on ēcnysse.

     We say now, with full faith, that Christ is a true prophet, and Prophet of all prophets, and that he is truly the Almighty God's Son, just as mighty as his Father, with whom he lives and reigns in unity of the Holy Ghost, without end forever.

2. (with verb) likewise, in exactly the same manner

Conjunction

eallswā

1. as, just as, even as, as if
2. so, even so, likewise, also

Descendants

• Middle English: as, ase, als, os, also
  • English: as, also
  • Early Scots: allswa
    • Middle Scots: alswa, alsua
      • Scots: als, alsa, alse