N
naca, w. m., vessel, ship: acc. sg. nacan, 295; gen. sg. nacan, 214.—Comp.: hring-, ȳð-naca.
nacod, adj., naked: nom. and acc. sg. swurd, gūð-bill nacod, 539, 2586; nacod nīð-draca, 2274.
nalas, nales, nallas. See nealles.
nama, w. m., name: nom. sg. Bēowulf is mīn nama, 343; wæs þǣm hæft-mēce Hrunting nama, 1458; acc. sg. scōp him Heort naman (gave it the name Hart), 78.
nā (from ne-ā), strength, negative, never, not all, 445, 567, 1537.
nāh, from ne-āh. See āgan.
nān (from ne-ān), indef. pron., none, no: with gen. pl. gūð-billa nān, 804; adjectively, nān... īren ǣrgōd, 990.
nāt, from ne-wāt: I know not=nescio. See witan.
nāt-hwylc (nescio quis, ne-wāt-hwylc, know not who, which, etc.), indef. pron., any, a certain one, some or other: 1) w. partitive gen.: nom. sg. gumena nāt-hwylc, 2234;. gen. sg. nāt-hwylces (þāra banena), 2054; niða nāt-hwylces(?), 2216; nāt-hwylces hæleða bearna, 2225.—2) adjectively: dat. sg. in nið-sele nāt-hwylcum, 1514.
næbben, from ne-hæbben (subj. pres.). See habban.
næfne. See nefne.
nægel, st. m., nail: gen. pl. nægla (of the finger-nails), 986.
nægled, part., nailed?, nail-like?, buckled?: acc. sg. neut. nægled (MS. gled) sinc, 2024.
næs, st. m., naze, rock projecting into the sea, cliff, promontory: acc. sg. næs, 1440, 1601, 2899; dat. sg. næsse, 2244, 2418; acc. pl. windige næssas, 1412; gen. pl. næssa, 1361.
næs, from ne-wæs (was not). See wesan.
næs, neg. adv., not, not at all, 562, 2263.
næs-hlið, st. n., declivity, slope of a promontory that sinks downward to the sea: dat. pl. on næs-hleoðum, 1428.
nǣfre, adv., never, 247, 583, 592, 656, 719, 1042, 1049, etc.; also strengthened by ne: nǣfre ne, 1461.
ge-nǣgan, w. v. w. acc. pers. and gen. of thing, to attack, press; pret. pl. nīða genǣgdan nefan Hererīces (in combats pressed hard upon H.’s nephew), 2207; pret. part. wearð... nīða genǣged, 1440.
nǣnig (from ne-ǣnig), pron., not any, none, no: 1) substantively w. gen. pl.: nom. sg., 157, 242, 692; dat. sg. nǣnegum, 599; gen. pl. nǣnigra, 950.—2) adjectively: nom. sg. ōðer nǣnig, 860; nǣnig wæter, 1515; nǣnig... dēor, 1934; acc. sg. nǣnigne... hord-māððum, 1199.
nǣre, from ne-wǣre (were not, would not be). See wesan.
ne, simple neg., not, 38, 50, 80, 83, 109, etc.; before imper. ne sorga! 1385; ne gȳm! 1761, etc. Doubled =certainly not, not even that: nē gē... gearwe ne wisson (ye certainly have not known, etc.), 245; so, 863; ne ic... wihte ne wēne (nor do I at all in the least expect), 2923; so, 182. Strengthened by other neg.: nōðer... ne, 2125; swā hē ne mihte nō... (so that he absolutely could not), 1509.
nē... nē, not... and not, nor; neither... nor, 154-157, 511, 1083-1085, etc. Another neg. may supply the place of the first ne: so, nō... ne, 575-577, 1026-1028, 1393-1395, etc.; nǣfre... ne, 583-584; nalles... nē, 3016-3017. The neg. may be omitted the first time: ǣr nē siððan (neither before nor after, before nor since), 719; sūð nē norð (south nor north), 859; ādl nē yldo (neither illness nor old age), 1737; wordum nē worcum (neither by word nor deed), 1101; wiston and ne wēndon (knew not and weened not), 1605.
nefa, w. m., nephew, grandson: nom. sg. nefa (grandson), 1204; so, 1963; (nephew), 2171; acc. sg. nefan (nephew), 2207; dat. sg. nefan (nephew), 882.
nefne, næfne, nemne (orig. from ne-gif-ne): 1) subj.: a) with depend. clause = unless: nefne him wītig god wyrd forstōde (if fate, the wise God, had not prevented him), 1057; nefne god sylfa... sealde (unless God himself, etc.), 3055; næfne him his wlite lēoge (MS. nǣfre) (unless his face belie him), 250; næfne hē wæs māra (except that he was huger), 1354; nemne him heaðo-byrne helpe ge-fremede, 1553; so, 2655.—b) w. follow. substantive = except, save, only: nefne sin-frēa (except the husband), 1935; ic lȳt hafo hēafod-māga nefne Hygelāc þec (have no near kin but thee), 2152; nis þæt ēower (gen. pl.) sīð... nefne mīn ānes, 2534.—2) Prep. with dat., except: nemne fēaum ānum, 1082.
ge-nehost. See ge-neahhe.
nelle, from ne-wille (I will not). See willan.
nemnan, w. v. w. acc.: 1) to name, call: pres. pl. þone yldestan ōret-mecgas Bēowulf nemnað (the warriors call the most distinguished one Bēowulf), 364; so inf. nemnan, 2024; pret. pl. nemdon, 1355.—2) to address, as in be-nemnan, to pronounce solemnly, put under a spell: pret. sg. Fin Hengeste... āðum be-nemde þæt (asserted, promised under oath that...), 1098; pret. pl. swā hit oð dōmes dæg dīope benemdon þēodnas mǣre (put under a curse), 3070.
nemne. See nefne.
nerian, ge-nerian, w. v., to save, rescue, liberate: pres. sg. Wyrd oft nereð unfǣgne eorl, 573; pret. part. hæfde... sele Hrōðgāres ge-nered wið nīðe (saved from hostility), 828.
ge-nesan, st. v.: 1) intrans., to remain over, be preserved: pret. sg. hrōf āna genæs ealles ansund (the roof alone was quite sound), 1000.—2) w. acc., to endure successfully, survive, escape from: pret. sg. sē þā sæcce ge-næs, 1978; fela ic... gūð-rǣsa ge-næs, 2427; pret. part. swā hē nīða gehwane genesen hæfde, 2398.
net, st. n., net: in comp. brēost-, here-, hring-, inwit-, searo-net.
nēdla, w. m., dire necessity, distress: in comp. þrēa-nēdla.
nēðan (G. nanþjan), w. v., to venture, undertake boldly: pres. part. nearo nēðende (encountering peril), 2351; pret. pl. þǣr git... on dēop water aldrum nēðdon (where ye two risked your lives in the deep water), 510; so, 538.
ge-nēðan, the same: inf. ne dorste under ȳða gewin aldre ge-nēðan, 1470. With depend. clause: nǣnig þæt dorste genēðan þæt (none durst undertake to...), 1934; pret. sg. hē under hārne stān āna genēðde frēcne dǣde (he risked alone the bold deed, venturing under the grey rock), 889; (ic) wigge under wætere weorc genēðde earfoð-līce (I with difficulty stood the work under the water in battle, i.e. could hardly win the victory), 1657; ic genēðde fela gūða (ventured on, risked, many contests), 2512; pres. pl. (of majesty) wē... frēcne genēðdon eafoð uncūðes (we have boldly risked, dared, the monster’s power), 961.
nēh. See nēah.
ge-neahhe, adv., enough, sufficiently, 784, 3153; superl. genehost brægd eorl Bēowulfes ealde lāfe (many an earl of B.’s), 795.
nealles (from ne-ealles), adv., omnino non, not at all, by no means: nealles, 2146, 2168, 2180, 2223, 2597, etc.; nallas, 1720, 1750; nalles, 338, 1019, 1077, 1443, 2504, etc.; nalas, 43, 1494, 1530, 1538; nales, 1812.
nearo, st. n., strait, danger, distress: acc. sg. nearo, 2351, 2595.
nearo, adj., narrow: acc. pl. f. nearwe, 1410.
nearwe, adv., narrowly, 977.
nearo-cræft, st. m., art of rendering difficult of access?, inaccessibility (see 2214 seqq.): instr. pl. nearo-cræftum, 2244.
nearo-fāh, m., foe that causes distress, war-foe: gen. sg. nearo-fāges, 2318.
nearo-þearf, st. f., dire need, distress: acc. sg. nearo-þearfe, 422.
ge-nearwian, w. v., to drive into a corner, press upon: pret. part. genearwod, 1439.
nēah, nēh: 1) adj., near, nigh: nom. sg. nēah, 1744, 2729. In superl. also = last: instr. sg. nȳhstan sīðe (for the last time), 1204; nīehstan sīðe, 2512.
2) adv., near: feor and (oððe) nēah, 1222, 2871; 3) prep, sǣ-grunde nēah, 564; so, 1925, 2243; holm-wylme nēh, 2412. Compar. nēar, 746.
nēan, adv., near by, (from) close at hand, 528; (neon, MS.), 3105; feorran and nēan, 840; nēan and feorran, 1175, 2318.
ge-nēat, st. m., comrade, companion: in comp. bēod-, heorð-genēat.
nioðor. See niðer.
neowol, adj., steep, precipitous: acc. pl. neowle, 1412.
nēod, st. f., polite intercourse regulated by etiquette?, hall-joy?: acc. sg. nīode, 2117; inst. (= joy), 2216.
nēod-laðu, st. f., polite invitation; wish: dat. sg. æfter nēod-laðu (according to his wishes), 1321.
nēosan, nēosian, w. v. w. gen., to seek out, look for; to attack: inf. nēosan, 125, 1787, 1792, 1807, 2075; nīosan, 2389, 2672; nēosian, 115, 1126; nīosian, 3046; pret. sg. nīosade, 2487.
nēotan, st. v., to take, accept, w. gen.; to use, enjoy: imper. sg. nēot, 1218.
be-nēotan, w. dat., to rob, deprive of: inf. hine aldre be-nēotan, 681; pret. sg. cyning ealdre bi-nēat (deprived the king of life), 2397.
nicor, st. m., sea-horse, walrus, sea-monster (cf. Bugge in Zacher’s Journal, 4, 197): acc. pl. niceras, 422, 575; nicras, 1428; gen. pl. nicera, 846.
nicor-hūs, st. n., house or den of sea-monsters: gen. pl. nicor-hūsa, 1412.
nið st. m., man, human being: gen. pl. niðða, 1006; niða? (passage corrupt), 2216.
niðer, nyðer, neoðor, adv., down, downward: niðer, 1361; nioðor, 2700; nyðer, 3045.
nið-sele, st. m., hall, room, in the deep (Grein): dat. sg. [in] nið-sele nāt-hwylcum, 1514.
nigen, num., nine: acc. nigene, 575.
niht, st. f. night: nom. sg., 115, 547. 650, 1321, 2117; acc. sg. niht, 135, 737, 2939; gystran niht (yester-night), 1335; dat. sg. on niht, 575, 684; on wanre niht, 703; gen. sg. nihtes hwīlum (sometimes at night, in the hours of the night), 3045; as adv. = of a night, by night, G. nachts, 422, 2274; dæges and nihtes, 2270; acc. pl. seofon niht (se’nnight, seven days, cf. Tac. Germ, 11), 517; dat. pl. sweartum nihtum, 167; deorcum nihtum, 275, 221; gen. pl. nihta, 545, 1366.—Comp.: middel-, sin-niht.
niht-bealu, st. n., night-bale, destruction by night: gen. pl. niht-bealwa, 193.
niht-helm, st. m., veil or canopy of night: nom. sg., 1790.
niht-long, adj., lasting through the night: acc. sg. m. niht-longne fyrst (space of a night), 528.
niht-weorc, st. n., night-work, deed done at night: instr. sg. niht-weorce, 828.
niman, st. v. w. acc.: 1) to take, hold, seize, undertake: pret. sg. nam þā mid handa hige-þīhtigne rinc, 747; pret. pl. wē... nīode nāman, 2117.—2) to take, take away, deprive of: pres. sg. sē þe hine dēað nimeð (he whom death carrieth off), 441; so, 447; nymeð, 1847; nymeð nȳd-bāde, 599; subj. pres. gif mec hild nime, 452, 1482; pret. sg. ind. nam on Ongenþīo īren-byrnan, 2987; ne nom hē... māðm-ǣhta mā (he took no more of the rich treasures), 1613; pret. part. þā wæs... sēo cwēn numen (the queen carried off), 1154.
be-niman, to deprive of: pret. sg. oð þæt hine yldo benam mægenes wynnum (till age bereft him of joy in his strength), 1887.
for-niman, to carry off: pres. sg. þē þā dēað for-nam (whom death carried off), 488; so, 557, 696, 1081, 1124, 1206, 1437, etc. Also, dat. for acc.: pret. pl. him īrenna ecge fornāmon, 2829.
ge-niman: 1) to take, seize: pret. sg. (hine) be healse ge-nam (clasped him around the neck, embraced him), 1873.—2) to take, take away: pret. on reste genam þrītig þegna, 122; hēo under heolfre genam cūðe folme, 1303; segn ēac genom, 2777; þā mec sinca baldor... æt mīnum fæder genam (took me at my father’s hands, adopted me), 2430; pret. part. genumen, 3167.
ge-nip, st. n., darkness, mist, cloud: acc. pl. under næssa genipu, 1361; ofer flōda genipu, 2809.
nis, from ne-is (is not): see wesan.
nīwe, nīowe, adj., new, novel; unheard-of: nom. sg. swēg up ā-stāg nīwe geneahhe (a monstrous hubbub arose), 784; beorh... nīwe (a newly-raised(?) grave-mound), 2244; acc. sg. nīwe sibbe (the new kinship), 950; instr. sg. nīwan stefne (properly, novā voce; here = de novo, iterum, again), 2595; nīowan stefne (again), 1790; gen. pl. nīwra spella (new tidings), 2899.
ge-nīwian, w. v., to renew: pret. part. ge-nīwod, 1304, 1323; genīwad, 2288.
nīw-tyrwed, pret. part., newly-tarred: acc. sg. nīw-tyrwedne (-tyrwydne, MS.) nacan, 295.
nīð, st. m., properly only zeal, endeavor; then hostile endeavor, hostility, battle, war: nom. sg., 2318; acc. sg. nīð, 184, 276; Wedera nīð (enmity against the W., the sorrows of the Weders), 423; dat. sg. wið (æt) nīðe, 828, 2586; instr. nīðe, 2681; gen. pl. nīða, 883, 2351, 2398, etc.; also instr. = by, in, battle, 846, 1440, 1963, 2171, 2207.—Comp.: bealo-, fǣr-, here-, hete-, inwit-, searo-, wæl-nīð.
nīð-draca, w. m., battle-dragon: nom. sg., 2274.
nīð-gast, st. m., hostile alien, fell demon: acc. sg. þone nīð-gæst (the dragon), 2700.
nīð-geweorc, st. n., work of enmity, deed of evil: gen. pl. -geweorca, 684.
nīð-grim, adj., furious in battle, savage: nom. sg., 193.
nīð-heard, adj., valiant in war: nom. sg., 2418.
nīð-hȳdig, adj., eager for battle, valorous: nom. pl. nīð-hȳdige men, 3167.
ge-nīðla, w. m., foe, persecutor, waylayer: in comp. ferhð-, feorh-genīðla.
nīð-wundor, st. n., hostile wonder, strange marvel of evil: acc. sg., 1366.
nīpan, st. v., to veil, cover over, obscure; pres. part. nīpende niht, 547, 650.
nolde, from ne-wolde (would not); see willan.
norð, adv., northward, 859.
norðan, adv., from the north, 547.
nose, w. f., projection, cliff, cape: dat. sg. of hlīðes nosan, 1893; æt brimes nosan, 2804.
nō (strengthened neg.), not, not at all, by no means, 136, 244, 587, 755, 842, 969, 1736, etc.; strengthened by following ne, 459(?), 1509; nō... nō (neither... nor), 541-543; so, nō... ne, 168. See ne.
nōðer (from nā-hwæðer), neg., and not, nor, 2125.
ge-nōh, adj., sufficient, enough: acc. sg. fǣhðo genōge, 2490; acc. pl. genōge... bēagas, 3105.
nōn, st. f., [Eng. noon], ninth hour of the day, three o’clock in the afternoon of our reckoning (the day was reckoned from six o’clock in the morning; cf. Bouterwek Scrēadunga, 24 2: wē hātað ǣnne dæg fram sunnan upgange oð ǣfen): nom. sg. nōn, 1601.
nū, adv.: l) now, at present, 251, 254, 375, 395, 424, 426, 489, etc.: nū gȳt (up to now, hitherto), 957; nū gēn (now still, yet), 2860; (now yet, still), 3169.—2) conj., since, inasmuch as: nū þū lungre geong... nū se wyrm ligeð (go now quickly, since the dragon lieth dead), 2746; so, 2248; þæt þū mē ne forwyrne... nū ic þus feorran cōm (that do not thou refuse me, since I am come so far), 430; so, 1476; nū ic on māðma hord mīne bebohte frōde feorh-lege, fremmað gē nū (as I now..., so do ye), 2800; so, 3021.
nymðe, conj. w. subj., if not, unless, 782; nymðe mec god scylde (if God had not shielded me), 1659.
nyt, st. f., duty, service, office, employment: acc. sg. þegn nytte behēold (did his duty), 494; so, 3119.—Comp.: sund-, sundor-nyt.
nyt, adj., useful: acc. pl. m. nytte, 795; comp. un-nyt.
ge-nyttian, w. v., to make use of, enjoy: pret. part. hæfde eorð-scrafa ende ge-nyttod (had enjoyed, made use of), 3047.
nȳd, st. f., force, necessity, need, pain: acc. sg. þurh dēaðes nȳd, 2455; instr. sg. nȳde, 1006. In comp. (like nȳd-maga, consanguineus, in AEthelred’s Laws, VI. 12, Schmid, p. 228; nēd-maga, in Cnut’s Laws, I. 7, ibid., p. 258); also, tie of blood.—Comp. þrēa-nȳd.
ge-nȳdan, w. v.: 1) to force, compel: pret. part. nīðe ge-nȳded (forced by hostile power), 2681.—2) to force upon: pret. part. acc. sg. f. nȳde genȳdde... gearwe stōwe (the inevitable place prepared for each, i.e. the bed of death), 1006.
nȳd-bād, st. f., forced pledge, pledge demanded by force: acc. pl. nȳd-bāde, 599.
nȳd-gestealla, w. m., comrade in need or united by ties of blood: nom. pl. nȳd-gesteallan, 883.
nȳd-gripe, st. m., compelling grip: dat. sg. in nȳd-gripe (mid-gripe, MS.), 977.
nȳd-wracu, st. f., distressful persecution, great distress: nom. sg., 193.
nȳhst. See nēah.