Old English edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-West Germanic *hwarbōn, from Proto-Germanic *hwarbōną (to wander around).

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈxwæ͜ɑr.fi.ɑn/, [ˈʍæ͜ɑrˠ.vi.ɑn]

Verb edit

hwearfian

  1. to turn on something (such as fate or a hinge), to revolve, to roll about
    • 1921, Joseph Bosworth & Thomas Northcote Toller, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, German Lexicon Project
      Ǣlc gesceaft hwearfaþ on hire selfre swā swā hwēol and tō ðam hēo swā hwearfaþ ðæt hēo eft cume ðǣr hēo ǣr wæs
      Every creature turns on itself as a wheel, and it so turns to the end that it may come again where it was before:
      (Bt. 25; Fox 88, 32: Bt. Met. Fox 13, 150; Met. 13, 75.)
  2. to wander, to move
    • 1921, Joseph Bosworth & Thomas Northcote Toller, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, German Lexicon Project
      Fōran hwearfigende geond ðæt wēsten.
      They went wandering through the desert.
      (Ors. 6, 31; Swt. 286, 19.)
    • 1921, Joseph Bosworth & Thomas Northcote Toller, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, German Lexicon Project
      Hē biþ fremede frēan ælmihtigum englum ungelīc āna hwearfaþ.
      He shall be a stranger to the almighty Lord, unlike angels, alone shall he wander.
      (Salm. Kmbl. 70; Sal. 35.)
  3. to change
    • 1921, Joseph Bosworth & Thomas Northcote Toller, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, German Lexicon Project
      Ðū wāst hū ða woruldsǣlþa hwearfiaþ ... hwī ne hwearfost ðū mid him
      Thou knowest how worldly blessings change ... why dost thou not change with them?
      (Bt. 7, 2; Fox 18, 6.)
  4. to wave
    • 1921, Joseph Bosworth & Thomas Northcote Toller, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, German Lexicon Project
      Fana hwearfode on sceafte
      The banner waved on its staff,
      (Bt. Met. Fox 1, 20; Met. 1, 10.)

Conjugation edit

Related terms edit

Descendants edit

  • Middle English: wharven

References edit