þafian

• þafan, þeafian

From Proto-Germanic *þabōną, from *þabaz (“fitting; appropriate”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈθɑ.fi.ɑn/, [ˈθɑ.vi.ɑn]

þafian

1. to consent or agree to, to let happen or be done, to take up
   • 9th century, "Elene", ll. 605-608

     Ðē sint tū ġearu, swā līf swā dēað, swā ðē lēofre biþ tō ġeċēosanne; cȳð riċene nū hwæt ðū ðæs tō þinge þafian wille.

     Two things are prepared for you, both life and death as it best please you to choose; say at once which you are willing to consent to.

   • 10th century, "The Old English Rule of St. Benedict" Ch. LVIII. Cotton Tiberius A. iii, fol. 155a.

     Þā rēaf mid þām þe hē wæs unsċrīd bēon ġelōgodre on rægulhūse tō ġehealdenna æt suman ċyrre tihtendum dēofle ġif hē þafað þæt hē utgā of minstre.

     The clothing that he was divested of should be placed in the monastery to retain should he at some point by the inciting Devil agree to leave the minster.

2. to submit to, to suffer, to bear
   • 1921, Joseph Bosworth & Thomas Northcote Toller, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, German Lexicon Project
     1. Ðé þincþ se earmra se ðæt yfel déþ ðonne se ðe hit þafaþ. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     2. Sum gewealden-mód þafaþ in geþylde ðæt hé sceal. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     3. Eal ðæt hé for ús þafode and ðolode. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     4. Ða eádigan martyras mænigfealde earfoðnyssa ðafedon. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     5. Se þeódcyning ðafian sceolde Eofores ánne dóm. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     6. Ic sceal þinga gehwylc þolian and þafian on ðínne dóm. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     7. Hié derede ægðer ge þurst ge hæte, and ealne ðone dæg wæron ðæt þafiende. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
3. to bear with, to tolerate
   • 1921, Joseph Bosworth & Thomas Northcote Toller, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, German Lexicon Project
     1. Hé ilde and ðafode ða scylda and ðeáh hé him gecýðde. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)
     2. Þatt Godd ne þole nohht ne þafe laþe gastess to winnenn oferrhannd off uss. ― (please add an English translation of this quotation)

• forberan
• geþolian
• geþyldan
• geþyldigian
• þolian
• þwærlæcan

• geþafa
• geþafian
• geþafung
• þafung

• Middle English: thaven

• John R. Clark Hall (1916) “þafian”, in A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary‎^[1], 2nd edition, New York: Macmillan
• Old English to Modern English Translator