Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

Dictionary online

CEÓWAN

  • verb [ strong ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
CEÓWAN, to ceówenne, ic ceówe, ðú ceówest, cýwst, he ceóweþ, cýwþ, ceówaþ;ceáw, cuwon; cowen
Wright's OE grammar
§264; §311; §493;
To CHEW, gnaw, eat, consume; ruminare, manducare
Show examples
  • He hét hine ceówan mid tóþum his fingras

    he commanded him to gnaw his fingers with his teeth,

    • Homl. Th. ii. 510, 34
    • .
  • Ongunnon ða næddran to ceówenne heora flǽsc and heora blód súcan

    the serpents began to chew their flesh and suck their blood,

    ii.
    • 488, 34, 27
    • .
  • Ðæt híg eton ða nýtenu ðe hira clawe todǽlede beóþ and ceówaþ

    omne quod habet divisam ungulam, et ruminat in pecoribus, comedetis,

    • Lev. 11, 3, 4
    • .
  • cuwon heora girdlas, and gærs ǽton

    they chewed their own girdles, and ate grass,

    • Ælfc. T. 42, 9: Homl. Th. i. 404, 5
    • .
  • Ðec sculon mold-wyrmas monige ceówan

    many mould-warms shall consume [chew, eat] thee;

    • Exon. 99a
    • ;
    • Th. 371, 8
    • ;
    • Seel. 72
    • .
Etymology
[
Chauc. chewe:
Orm. chewwenn:
Scot. chaw, chow:
Plat. kaujen, kauwen, kawwen:
Dut. kaauwen:
Kil. kauwen, kouwen, kuwen:
Ger. käuen, kauen:
M. H. Ger. kiuwen:
O. H. Ger. kiuwan:
Dan. tygge:
Swed. tugga:
Icel. tyggja, tyggya.
]
Derived forms
be-ceówan, for-, to-
Linked entries
v.  cuwon.
Full form

Word-wheel

  • CEÓWAN, v.