behabban

behabban

Old English

Etymology

Equivalent to be- +‎ habban.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌbeˈhɑb.bɑn/

Verb

behabban

1. (transitive) to surround or embrace something
   • 1921, Joseph Bosworth & Thomas Northcote Toller, Bosworth-Toller Anglo-Saxon Dictionary Online

     Ðīne fȳnd behabbaþ ðē.

     Your enemies surround you.

2. (transitive) to hold or contain somebody or something
   • 1921, Joseph Bosworth & Thomas Northcote Toller, Bosworth-Toller Anglo-Saxon Dictionary Online

     Māran endebyrdnysse þonne ðis godspel behæfð.

     More circumstances than this gospel contains.

3. (intransitive) to understand something (+ dative or + on)
4. (transitive) to withhold or hold something back
   • 1921, Joseph Bosworth & Thomas Northcote Toller, Bosworth-Toller Anglo-Saxon Dictionary Online

     Behæfð God his mildheortnesse.

     God withholds his mercy.

5. (transitive) to restrain or detain somebody
   • 1921, Joseph Bosworth & Thomas Northcote Toller, Bosworth-Toller Anglo-Saxon Dictionary Online

     Hī behæfdon hine.

     They detained him.

Conjugation

Conjugation of behabban (weak class 3)

infinitive	behabban	tō [[behabbenne, behæbbenne
indicative	present	past
1st-person singular	behæbbe	behæfde
2nd-person singular	behæfst, behafast	behæfdest
3rd-person singular	behæfþ, behafaþ	behæfde
plural	behabbaþ	behæfdon
subjunctive	present	past
singular	behæbbe	behæfde
plural	behæbben	behæfden
imperative
singular	behafa
plural	behabbaþ
participle	present	past
	behæbbende	behæfed, behæfd

Derived terms

• behæfednes f (“detention, care”)

References

• 'be-habban' in Joseph Bosworth and T. Northcote Toller (1898) An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary
• 'be-habban' in Joseph Bosworth and T. Northcote Toller (1898) An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary