hæft

Danish

Verb

hæft

1. imperative of hæfte

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Old English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xæft/, [hæft]

Etymology 1

From Proto-Germanic *haftiją, from Proto-Indo-European *keh₂p-. Cognate with Middle Low German hecht (Dutch hecht, heft), Old High German hefti (German Heft), Old Norse hepti. The Indo-European root is also the source of Latin capere, Old Irish cacht (Welsh caeth (“slave”), Breton keaz (“poor”)), Albanian kap (“grip”), Proto-Slavic *xopītī- (Old Church Slavonic хапѭште (xapjǫšte), Russian ха́пать (xápatʹ)), Proto-Balto-Slavic *kap- (Lithuanian kàpteleti, Latvian kàmpt (“bite”)).

Noun

hæft n

1. a handle, the haft of a weapon

   Nim ðæt seax ðe ðæt hæfte sie fealo hryðeres horn ― take a knife, the handle of which is yellow ox-horn.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *haftaz, from Proto-Indo-European *kh₂ptós (“grabbed”). See Etymology 1.

Noun

hæft m

1. a captive, a prisoner or slave

   We ðe biddaþ ðæt ðu gehyre hæfta stefne ― we beseech you to hear the voice of the captives.

2. captivity, bondage, imprisonment

   Is ðes hæft to ðan strang ― this imprisonment is so severe.

3. a bond or fetter

Related terms

• hebban
• habban
• hefiġ