forstelan
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Old English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Proto-Germanic *frastelaną (“to steal, steal away”), equivalent to for- + stelan. Cognate with Old Saxon farstelan, Old High German firstelan.
Pronunciation[edit]
Verb[edit]
forstelan
- (intensive) to steal
- c. 990, Wessex Gospels, Matthew 28:13
- Seċġaþ þæt his leornungcneohtas cōmen nihtes and forstǣlen hine þā wē slēpen.
- Say that his disciples came at night and stole him away while we were asleep.
- c. 990, Wessex Gospels, Matthew 6:19
- Nellen ġē goldhordian ēow goldhord on eorðan, þǣr ōm and moþþe hit fornimþ and þǣr þēofas hit delfaþ and forstelaþ.
- Don't hoard yourself treasures on Earth, where moths and rust will destroy it and thieves will dig it up and steal it.
- c. 990, Wessex Gospels, Matthew 28:13
- to kidnap
- late 10th century, Ælfric, the Old English Hexateuch, Exodus 21:16
- Sē þe mann forstele and hine ġeselle, swelte hē dēaðe.
- Whoever kidnaps someone and sells them will be put to death.
- late 7th century, Law of Hlothhere and Eadric
- Ġif friġ mann mannan forstele, ġif hē eft cume melda, seċġe on andweardne.
- If a free person kidnaps someone, and the victim returns as an informer, they must make the accusation in the presence of the accused.
- c. 935, King Æthelstan's sixth law code
- Wē cwǣdon be ūrum þēowum mannum þā menn þe menn hæfdon: ġif hine man forstele, þæt hine man forgulde mid healfum punde.
- Those of us who own slaves have declared: if anyone kidnaps a slave, the kidnapper must pay for the slave with half a pound.
- late 10th century, Ælfric, the Old English Hexateuch, Exodus 21:16
Conjugation[edit]
Conjugation of forstelan (strong class 4)
| infinitive | forstelan | forstelenne |
|---|---|---|
| indicative mood | present tense | past tense |
| first person singular | forstele | forstæl |
| second person singular | forstilest, forstilst | forstǣle |
| third person singular | forstileþ, forstilþ | forstæl |
| plural | forstelaþ | forstǣlon |
| subjunctive | present tense | past tense |
| singular | forstele | forstǣle |
| plural | forstelen | forstǣlen |
| imperative | ||
| singular | forstel | |
| plural | forstelaþ | |
| participle | present | past |
| forstelende | forstolen | |