Old English · verb
befylan
Normalised befȳlan
- Part of speech
- verb
- Verb class
- weak class 1
- IPA
- /beˈfyː.lɑn/
- Syllables
- be · ˈfyː · lɑn (3 syllables)
- Modern English
- defilebefilebefoul
Meaning
-
to defile, befoul
Nū is ūs ālȳfed, þurh lārēowa ealdordōm, þæt wē dæġhwomlice, on þyssere lenctenlīċan tīde, ūre līchaman ġerēordiġan mid forhæfednysse, and sȳfernysse, and clǣnnysse. Stuntlīċe fæst sē lenctenlīċ fæsten seðe on ðisum clǣnum tīman hine sylfne mid gālnysse befȳld. Unrihtlīċ bið þæt sē crīstena mann flǣsċlīċe lustas ġefremme on ðām tīman þe hē flæsċmettas forgān sċea
Now it is permitted to us, through the authority of teachers, that we feed our bodies with restraint, moderation, and modesty every day of this Lenten tide. He who performs the Lenten fast while defiling himself with lust does so foolishly. It is unlawful for a Christian to indulge in carnal lusts during the time he should forgo meats.
Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church
Conjugation
All forms (17)
Etymology
From Proto-West Germanic *bifūlijan, equivalent to be- + fȳlan.
Descendants
befile, defile
Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · en.wiktionary.org/wiki/befylan · CC BY-SA 4.0 licence · Attribution