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Definition 2025

bædan

bædan

Old English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈbæːdɑn/

Verb

bǣdan

  1. to constrain, to incite, to compel
    Ðæs his lufu bædeþ: whom his love constrains. (Exeter Book)
Conjugation
Related terms

Etymology 2

Of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Proto-Germanic *bad-, of unknown origin. Related to Old English bæddel ‎(“effeminate man”).

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈbædɑn/

Verb

bædan

  1. to defile
Conjugation

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *baidijaną ‎(“to constrain, cause to stay”), causative of *bīdaną ‎(“to wait, guard”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeydʰ- ‎(“persuade, agree”). Cognate with Old Saxon bēdian ‎(“to demand”), Old High German beitōn ‎(“to pressure, demand”), Old Norse beiða ‎(“demand, long for”), Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌹𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 ‎(baidjan, “to constrain”). More at bide.

Indo-European cognates: Ancient Greek πείθω ‎(peíthō), Latin fidere, Proto-Slavic *běda ‎(“adversity, misery”), Albanian bint.

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