þafian

Old English

FWOTD – 26 January 2017

Alternative forms

• þafan, þeafian

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *þabōną, from *þabaz (“fitting; appropriate”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈθɑ.fi.ɑn/, [ˈθɑ.vi.ɑn]

Verb

þafian

1. to consent or agree to, to let happen or be done, to take up
   • 1921, Joseph Bosworth & Thomas Northcote Toller, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, German Lexicon Project
   • (with accusative):
     1. Swá hwylc swá morþorslege þafaþ and hine man ðonne fremmeþ. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     2. Heó hine monede ðæt hé weoruldhád forlæte and munucháde onnfénge. Ond hé ðæt well ðafode. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     3. Ðé sint tú gearu swá líf swá deáð, swá ðé leófre biþ tó geceósanne; cýð hwæt ðú ðæs tó þinge þafian wille. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     4. Næfre ic ðæs þeódnes þafian wille mægrædenne. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
   • (with dative):
     1. Gé þafiaþ eówer fædera weorcum. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     2. Ðafande woeron feh him tó seallanne. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
   • (with clause):
     1. Gif hé þafaþ ðæt hé út gá of minstre. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     2. Þafodest ðú ðæt mé þeówmennen drehte. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     3. Þafa ðæt ic út ádó ðæt mot of ðínum eágan. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     4. Ða eorlas þafigan ne woldon ðæt hié forléton leófne láreów. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
2. to submit to, to suffer, to bear
   • 1921, Joseph Bosworth & Thomas Northcote Toller, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, German Lexicon Project
     1. Ðé þincþ se earmra se ðæt yfel déþ ðonne se ðe hit þafaþ. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     2. Sum gewealden-mód þafaþ in geþylde ðæt hé sceal. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     3. Eal ðæt hé for ús þafode and ðolode. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     4. Ða eádigan martyras mænigfealde earfoðnyssa ðafedon. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     5. Se þeódcyning ðafian sceolde Eofores ánne dóm. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     6. Ic sceal þinga gehwylc þolian and þafian on ðínne dóm. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     7. Hié derede ægðer ge þurst ge hæte, and ealne ðone dæg wæron ðæt þafiende. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
3. to bear with, to tolerate
   • 1921, Joseph Bosworth & Thomas Northcote Toller, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, German Lexicon Project
     1. Hé ilde and ðafode ða scylda and ðeáh hé him gecýðde. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     2. Þatt Godd ne þole nohht ne þafe laþe gastess to winnenn oferrhannd off uss. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Conjugation

Conjugation of þafian (weak class 2)

infinitive	þafian	þafienne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	þafiġe	þafode
second person singular	þafast	þafodest
third person singular	þafaþ	þafode
plural	þafiaþ	þafodon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	þafiġe	þafode
plural	þafiġen	þafoden
imperative
singular	þafa
plural	þafiaþ
participle	present	past
	þafiende	(ġe)þafod

Synonyms

• forberan
• geþolian
• geþyldan
• geþyldigian
• þolian
• þwærlæcan

Derived terms

• geþafa
• geþafian
• geþafung
• þafung

Descendants

• Middle English: thaven

References

• John R. Clark Hall (1916) “þafian”, in A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary‎^[1], 2nd edition, New York: Macmillan
• Old English to Modern English Translator