æt niehstan

Old English

Alternative forms

• æt nīhstan, æt nȳhstan, æt nēhstan, æt nēahstan, æt nȳxtan, æt nēxtan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /æt ˈni͜yːx.stɑn/

Adverb

æt nīehstan

1. at last, finally, in the end
   • c. 992, Ælfric, "On the Beginning of Creation"

     Ðā æt nēxtan, þā se tīma cōm þe God foresċēawode, þā āsende hē his enġel Gabrihel tō ānum mǣdene of þām cynne, sēo wæs Marīa ġehāten.

     Then at last, when the time came that God had foreseen, he sent his angel Gabriel to a maiden of that race, who was called Mary."

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

     Ēalā ðū gōde rōd, þe wlite and fæġernysse of Drihtnes lymum underfēnge, ðū wǣre ġefyrn ġewilnod and cārfullīċe ġelufod, būtan tōforlǣtennysse ġesōht, and nū æt nēxtan mīnum wilniġendum mōde ġeġearcod. Onfōh mē fram mannum, and āġīf mē mīnum Lārēowe, þæt hē ðurh ðē mē underfō, sēðe þurh ðē mē alȳsde."

     O thou good cross, which didst receive beauty and fairness from the limbs of the Lord, thou hast been of old desired and carefully loved, without intermission sought by, and now at last prepared for my longing mind. Receive me from men, and give me to my Teacher, that he through thee receive me, who through thee hath redeemed me."