sweordes ecg

sweordes ecg

Old English

Etymology

From sweord + eċġ. Has a parallel in Old Saxon swerdes eggia, possibly stemming from Proto-West Germanic *swerdas aggju. Compare mǣċes eċġ.

Noun

sweordes eċġ f

1. (poetic) "sword's edge"
   • w:Beowulf, verse 1104a-6b:

     Gyf þonne Frýsna hwylc frécnen sprǽce
     ðæs morþorhétes myndgiend waére
     þonne hit sweordes ecg syððan scolde.

     If any Frisian were then to remind [them] with dangerous words of that murderous enmity, then it should thereafter be the sword's edge.

Related terms

• mǣċes eċġ