stæf
See also: Stäf
Middle English edit
Noun edit
stæf
- (Early Middle English) Alternative form of staf
Old English edit
Etymology edit
From Proto-Germanic *stabaz, whence also Old High German stab, Old Norse stafr.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
stæf m (nominative plural stafas)
- staff
- c. 899, Alfred the Great, Psalm 23
- Þīn ġierd and þīn stæf mē āfrēfredon.
- Your rod and your staff comfort me.
- c. 899, Alfred the Great, Psalm 23
- (grammar) letter, written character
- c. 992, Ælfric, "Midlent Sunday"
- On ōðre wīsan wē sċēawiaþ mētinge and on ōðre wīsan stafas. Ne gǣþ nā māre tō mētinge būtan þæt þū hit ġesēo and herie. Nis nā ġenōg þæt þū stafas sċēawiġe būtan þū hīe ēac rǣde and þæt andġiet understande.
- We look at pictures in one way and letters in another. You don't do anything with a painting except see it and praise it. Looking at letters is not enough unless you also read them and understand the meaning.
- c. 992, Ælfric, "Midlent Sunday"
Declension edit
Declension of stæf (strong a-stem)
Synonyms edit
- (letter): bōcstæf
Derived terms edit
- ārstafas (“help, kindness”)
- ġebreġdstafas ("Literary arts")
- āþstæf (“oath”)
- bōcstæf (“letter”)
- candelstæf (“candle-staff or stick”)
- canterstæf (“staff used by cantor”)
- ēþelfstæf (“family staff, stay of the house”)
- edwītstæf (“scandal”)
- gleostæf (“joy”)
- ġyrnstæf (“affliction, trouble”)
- stæfcræft (“grammar”)
- stæflīċ (“literal”)
- stæfsweord (“sword cane”)
- wrōhtstafas ("accusations")
- wyrdstæf (“fate's fiat”)