Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

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BERSTAN

  • verb [ strong ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
BERSTAN, part. berstende; ic berste, ðú birst, he birsteþ, biersteþ, birst, byrst, bierst, pl. berstaþ; p. ic, he bærst, ðú burste, pl. burston; pp. borsten.
Wright's OE grammar
§66; §85; §280; §476; §502;
to BURST, break, fail, fall; cum fragore dissilire, corruere, rumpi, frangi
Show examples

  • Heofonas berstaþ

    the heavens burst,

    • Exon. 21 b
      • ;
    • Th. 58, 10
      • ;
    • Cri. 933.

  • Burston bán-locan

    the bone-inclosures burst,

    • Beo. Th. 1640
      • ;
    • B. 818
      • .

  • Wǽgas burston

    the waves broke,

    • Cd. 167
      • ;
    • Th. 208, 15
      • ;
    • Exod. 483.

  • Ðá burston ða weallas

    muri illico corruerunt,

    • Jos. 6, 20 : Ors. 1, 7
      • ;
    • Bos. 29, 38.

  • Gif him áþ burste

    if an oath failed them,

    • L. Ed. 3
      • ;
    • Th. i. 160, 20.
to make the noise of a bursting or breaking, to crash, dash, crack; fragorem edere, sonare, crepare
Show examples

  • Brim berstende blód-egesan hweóp

    the dashing sea threatened bloody horrors,

    • Cd. 166
      • ;
    • Th. 208, 2
      • ;
    • Exod. 477
      • .

  • Fingras burston

    his fingers cracked,

    • Beo. Th. 1525
      • ;
    • B. 760.
Etymology
[
Laym. bersten
:
Wyc. berste, breste
:
Plat. barsten
:
O. Sax. brestan
:
O. Frs. bersta
:
Dut. Ger. bersten
:
M. H. Ger- bresten
:
O. H. Ger. brestan
:
Dan. bröste
:
Swed. brista
:
O. Nrs. bresta
.]
Derived forms
a-berstan, æt, for-, óþ-, to-, út-
Linked entries
v.  bærst.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “BERSTAN.” In An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary Online, edited by Thomas Northcote Toller, Christ Sean, and Ondřej Tichy. Prague: Faculty of Arts, Charles University, 2014. https://bosworthtoller.com/3872.

Checked: 1
Full form

Word-wheel

  • BERSTAN, v.

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