Old English

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Etymology

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From ġe- +‎ fōn. Cognate with Old Saxon gifāhan, Old High German gifāhan, Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐍆𐌰𐌷𐌰𐌽 (gafahan).

Pronunciation

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Verb

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ġefōn

  1. to catch, seize, capture, take
    • late 10th century, Ælfric, "Passion of St. Alban, Martyr"
      Hē rād ðā on his mule mid mycelre fyrde þurh ǣnne hēahne holt mid hetelīcum ġeþance; þā ġefēng hine ān trēow be ðām fexe sona forþan þe hē wæs sīdfæxede and hē swā hangode, and sē mul arn forð fram þām ārlēasan hlāford and Dauides þeġnas hine þurhðydon.
      Then he rode on his mule with a great army through a high wood, with hostile intention; then speedily a tree caught him by the hair, because be was long-haired, and he hanged so, and the mule ran forward from the wicked lord, and David's thanes pierced him through.

Conjugation

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