ymbe

Old English

Alternative forms

• ymb, embe, ymbi

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *umbi (“around, near”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂m̥bʰi (“round about, around”), akin to Old High German umbi (“around”), Latin ambi (“both, around”), Ancient Greek ἀμφί (amphí, “on both sides, around”), Old Irish imb, Old English bī (“near, by”). More at by.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈym.be/

Preposition

ymbe

1. around, about

   And Iohannes wæs ȝescryd mid oluendes hærum, and fellen ȝyrdel wæs ymbe his lendenu; and ȝærstapan, and wudu huniȝ he æt. [West saxon dialect]

   John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

   And Hierusalem, and fram Idumea and beȝeondan Iordane, and to him com mycel meneȝeo, ymbe Tirum and Sidone, ȝehyrende ða þinȝ ðe he worhte. [West saxon dialect]

   When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon.

   And ða se Hælend eft on scype ferde ofer ðone muþan, him com to mycel meniȝu, and wæs ymbe ða sæ. [West saxon dialect]

   When Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him; and He stayed around the seashore.

2. near, along

Descendants

• Middle English: umben, embe (early), vmbe, vmb, umbe, umb (in part)
  • English: Ember Day, umbe, umb (in part)