onfon

Old English

Etymology

From earlier ondfōn, from Proto-Germanic *anda- + *fanhaną (“to accept”). Cognate with obsolete West Frisian ûntfean (“to receive”), Old High German intfahan (German empfangen). Equivalent to and- +‎ fōn.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /onˈfoːn/

Verb

onfōn (+ dative/accusative)

1. to receive, accept
   • late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of Saint Augustine's Soliloquies

     ...ac onfōh mē nū þīnne āgene þēawa, for ic eom flēonde fram hym.

     ...but do Thou receive me now, Thine own servant, for I am fleeing from them.

   • c. 992, Ælfric, "The Nativity of St. Andrew the Apostle"

     Onfōh me fram mannum, and agíf me minum Láreowe, þæt he ðurh ðe me underfō, seðe þurh ðe me alysde."

     Receive me from men, and give me to my Teacher, that he through thee receive me, who through thee hath redeemed me."

2. to take
3. to perceive, catch on to
4. to undertake, undergo

Conjugation

Conjugation of onfōn (strong class 7)

infinitive	onfōn	onfōnne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	onfō	onfēng
second person singular	onfēhst	onfēnge
third person singular	onfēhþ	onfēng
plural	onfōþ	onfēngon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	onfō	onfēnge
plural	onfōn	onfēngen
imperative
singular	onfōh
plural	onfōþ
participle	present	past
	onfōnde	onfangen

Descendants

• Middle English: onfon, onfangen
  • English: onfang