Old English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Proto-West Germanic *libbjan, from Proto-Germanic *libjaną.

Cognate with Old Frisian leva, Old Saxon libbian, Old High German lebēn, Old Norse lifa, Gothic 𐌻𐌹𐌱𐌰𐌽 (liban).

Pronunciation

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Verb

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libban

  1. to live
    • late 10th century, Ælfric, the Old English Hexateuch, Genesis 45:3
      And hē cwæþ tō his ġebrōðrum, "Iċ eom Iosep! Leofaþ ūre fæder nū ġīet?" Þā ne meahton his ġebrōðru him for eġe ġeandwyrdan.
      And he said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is our father still alive?" But, out of fear, his brothers could not answer him.

Conjugation

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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