efesian

Old English

Alternative forms

• efosian, efsian, efsigean, efesiġan

Etymology

From the noun efes (“eaves”) or its ancestor.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈe.fe.si.ɑn/, [ˈe.ve.si.ɑn]

Verb

efesian

1. to cut (someone's hair), give a haircut

Usage notes

• In Old English, you usually cut someone's head, not their hair (Lēte þū þīn hēafod efesian? = “Did you get your hair [lit. head] cut?”), or else the object is the person themselves (Sēo widuwe wolde efesian þone hālgan ǣlce ġēare and his næġlas ċeorfan = “The widow would cut the saint's hair [lit. the saint] every year and trim his nails”). It is always clear that hair is meant because efesian, unlike snīþan or ċeorfan, only refers to cutting hair, not any other object or body part. See also cemban (“to comb”).

Conjugation

Conjugation of efesian (weak class 2)

infinitive	efesian	efesienne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	efesiġe	efesode
second person singular	efesast	efesodest
third person singular	efesaþ	efesode
plural	efesiaþ	efesodon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	efesiġe	efesode
plural	efesiġen	efesoden
imperative
singular	efesa
plural	efesiaþ
participle	present	past
	efesiende	(ġe)efesod

Derived terms

• āefesian
• beefesian
• efesung
• misefesian

Descendants

• Middle English: evesen

See also

• sċieran (“to shave”)