culfre

Meaning

1. dove; pigeon

   Culfre is bilewite nyten, and fram geallan biternysse ælfremed. Soðlice ða halgan apostolas wæron swilce culfran æt heora ēhðyrlum, ðaða hí nán ðing on þisum middangearde ne gewilnodon, ac hí ealle ðing bilewitlice sceawodon, and næron mid gecnyrdnysse æniges reaflaces getogene to ðam ðe hi wiðutan sceawodon.

   A dove is a meek animal, and a stranger to the bitterness of gall. Verily the holy apostles were as doves at their windows, when they desired nothing in this world, but they meekly beheld all things, and were not drawn by desire of any rapine to that which they beheld without.

   c. 992, Ælfric, "The Nativity of St. Andrew the Apostle"

Declension