Old English

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Etymology

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From Proto-West Germanic *liggjan, Proto-Germanic *ligjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *legʰ-.

Compare Old Frisian lidzia, Old Saxon liggian, Old High German liggen, Old Norse liggja, Gothic 𐌻𐌹𐌲𐌰𐌽 (ligan).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈlij.jɑn/, [ˈlid.d͡ʒɑn]

Verb

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liċġan

  1. to lie (be in a horizontal position)
    • c. 992, Ælfric, "Sermon on the Nativity of Our Lord"
      Þā ġeseah hēo þæt cild licgan on binne, ðǣr sē oxa and sē assa ġewunelīce fōdan sēcað.
      Then saw she the child lying in the bin, where the ox and the ass usually seek food.
  2. to lie down
  3. to be located somewhere (often translated with "to be")
  4. to lead (e.g. of a road or a river)
  5. to lay
    • late 10th century, Ælfric, "Chair of Saint Peter"
      ...þā læġ þǣr sum creopere lama fram cildhāde sē wæs dæġhwāmlīce ġeboren tō þām beorhtan ġete þæt hē ælmessan underfencge æt þām infarendum...
      Then lay there a cripple, lame from childhood, who was daily carried to the 'Beautiful' Gate, that he might receive alms from those entering.

Conjugation

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • Middle English: lien
    • English: lie, lig
    • Scots: lie
    • Yola: lee, lidge