The Tale of Beowulf/Glossary

by Unknown

THE MEANING OF SOME WORDS NOT COMMONLY USED NOW

(Numbers refer to Pages)

• A-banning, the work was (5), orders for the work were given.
• Arede (118), possess.
• Atheling, prince, noble, noble warrior.
• Barm, lap, bosom.
• Behalsed (5), embraced by the neck.
• Berne, man, warrior, hero.
• Bestead (143), served.
• Beswealed, scorched, burnt.
• Beswinked, sweated.
• Birlers, cup-bearers.
• Board, shield.
• Bode, announce.
• Bollen, swollen, angry.
• Boot (9), compensation.
• Boun (18), made ready.
• Braided (147), drew, lifted.
• Brim, sea.
• Brook, use, enjoy.
• Burg, fortified place, stronghold, mount, barrow; protection; protector; family (163).
• Byrny, coat of mail.
• Devil-dray, nest of devils. Cf. squirrel's-dray, common in Berks; used by Cowper.
• Dreary, bloody.
• Dree, do, accomplish, suffer, enjoy, spend (155).
• Ealdor, chief, lord.
• Eme, uncle.
• Eoten, giant, monster, enemy.
• Fathom, embrace.
• Feeless, not to be atoned for with money.
• Ferry, bring, carry.
• Fifel, monster.
• Flyting, contending, scolding.
• Fold, the earth.
• Forheed, disregard.
• Forwritten, proscribed.
• Frist, space of time, delay.
• Gar, spear.
• Graithly, readily, well.
• Halse, neck.
• Hand-shoal, band of warriors.
• Hery, praise.
• Hild-play, battle.
• Holm, ocean, sea.
• Holm-throng, eddy of the sea.
• Holt, wood.
• Hote, call.
• Howe, mound, burial-mound.
• Hythe, ferry, haven.
• Kemp, champion, fighter.
• Lithe, slope.
• Loom, heirloom.
• Low (133), flame.
• Lyke, body.
• Moody, brave, proud.
• Nicors, sea-monsters.
• Nithing (12), spite, malice.
• O'erthinking, overweening, arrogance.
• Rail, railings, coat, armour.
• Rimed, counted, reckoned.
• Sea-lode, sea-voyage.
• Sin, malice, hatred, hostility.
• Skinked, poured out.
• Slot, track.
• Staple, threshold.
• Stone-bow, arch of stone.
• Sty, stride, ascend, descend.
• Sweal, burn.
• Through-witting, understanding.
• Undern, from 9 o'clock till 12 o'clock; "at undren and at middai," O.E. Miscellany.
• Warths, shores, still in use at Wick St. Lawrence, in Somerset.
• Wick, dwelling.
• Wick-stead, dwelling-place.
• Wise, direct, show.
• Wit-lust, curiosity.
• Worth, shall be.
• Wreak, utter.
• Wyte, blame, charge with.
• Yare, ready.
• Yode, went.

 

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