Middle English Dictionary Entry
wharven v.
Entry Info
| Forms | wharven v. Also hwarefen, (Orm.) wharrfenn, (SWM) whærven; ppl. hwerefinde, (error) wernende; p. (SWM) whærfde, warfte; pl. hwurfon, (SWM) wurven; ppl. (Orm.) wharrfedd, wherrfedd. |
| Etymology | OE hwirfan, hwerfan, hwearfan, hwærfan & hwearfian & hweorfan, p.pl. hwurfon. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. awherven v., blind-wharven v., ied-hwurven v., ihwerven v., towherven v.
1.
(a) To change (sth., a name, state of mind); convert (sth. from or into sth. else); change (sb. from a fleshly to a spiritual being); also, exchange (clothing); ppl. hwerefinde as adj.: changeable;
(b) to turn away [1st quot.]; also, turn (sb. from a state or course of action), divert; also, bring (sb. to a state of drunkenness);
(c) to move about; wander; ppl. wharrfedd as adj.: confused;
(d) to come about, happen;
(e) to roll about, tumble, tussle; ~ togeder, refl. come together in battle.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(?OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)66/22 : Þonne hit byð Fridæg, hit byð hwerefinde winter, & god lænten & god sumer & god hærfest.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)9658 : Ta wass cumenn time Þatt woh & sinne shollde beon Till rihhtwisnesse wharrfedd.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)11119 : Þeȝȝ unnderrfon…to drinnkenn gastliȝ witt Ut off stafflike fetless Swa summ itt wære winess drinnch Þatt wære off waterr wharrfedd.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)13289 : Crist warrp eȝhe upponn Symon…& forrþi wass he wurrþ þatt Crist Hiss name himm shollde wharrfenn Forr þatt itt shollde tacnenn himm Þatt he þa shollde newenn.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)14124 : Rihht all swa wharrfeþþ Haliȝ Gast Þe gode manness herrte.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)17014 : Þe mann iss wharrfedd her Fra flæsh till gastliȝ kinde Þurrh þatt he takeþþ Crisstenndom Wiþþ fulluhht & wiþþ trowwþe.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)173 : Gies hie wunienge hwarefeð, hie tuneð fram iuele to werse.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3149 : Com Alfred þe king…and wrat þa laȝen on Englis ase heo wes ær on Bruttisc and whærfde hire nome on his dæȝe and cleopede heo Mærcene laȝe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)15343 : Wið him warfte Brien al his iweden.
b
- c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)18/22 : Þa urnon heo ðærto…& woldan ðæs ylcæ wilniæn & heom ðerto ȝebedon; þa heo þonon hwurfon, þa wurdon þa tweȝe cnihtæs al swa fæȝeres hiwæs swa heoræ fæderæs wæron.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)14137 : He wollde…þurrh þe ȝife off Haliȝ Gast Uss wharrfenn all fra sinne.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)15375 : Þe defell & te defless þeww…ȝifenn menn to drinnkenn…& affterr þatt teȝȝ hafenn all Wharrfedd te wrecche lede Þurrh þeȝȝre laress attredd win Inntill swillc drunnkennesse, [etc.].
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)15410 : Þin lattre win iss bettre Forr all itt wharrfeþþ þe þin hird Þurrh gastliȝ drunnkennesse Fra werelldshipess lufe & lusst.
c
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3641 : All þiss middellærdess þing Aȝȝ turrneþþ her & wharrfeþþ Nu upp, nu dun, swa summ þe wheol.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)9721 : Saduceow bitacneþþ uss Rihhtwis onn Ennglissh spæche, Forrþi þatt wherrfedd follc hemm hallt Forr gode & forr rihhtwise.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)87 : Þis lage flemeð þe fule gost ut of þe child, and he wandrede wide, wernende [read: weruende] longe, sechende him oðer stede on bileffulle manne.
d
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)8420 : Domess daȝȝ Swa shall itt tanne wharrfenn Bitwenenn Cristess hallȝhe þeod & deofless laþe genge.
e
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)9139 : Octa and his ferde fusde heom to-ȝeines, wuruen [Otho: þrongen] heom to-gadere mid grimmere strengðe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)15814 : Let þu þa hundes hannen to-gaderes eiðer freten oðer, swa hund deð his broðer, and leten heore whelpes whæruen heom bi-sides, elc oðer quelle.