scræf

Old English

Alternative forms

• sċreaf, sċref, sċraf

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *skrabą (“cave, cavern, pit”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to cut off”), and thereby cognate with Latin scrobis (“ditch, trench”), and related to Old English scrapian (“to scrape”), screpan (“to scratch”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃræf/

Noun

sċræf n

1. cave, cavern
2. miserable dwelling: den, hell

Declension

Declension of scræf (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	sċræf	sċrafu
accusative	sċræf	sċrafu
genitive	sċræfes	sċrafa
dative	sċræfe	sċrafum

Derived terms

• dūnsċræf (“mountain-cavern”)
• eorþsċræf (“earth-cavern”)
• stānsċræf (“rock-cavern”)
• wītesċræf (“den of torment, hell”)

Descendants

• Middle English: scræf (early)