hweorfan

Meaning

1. to turn, change

   oþþæt collenferð · cunne ġearwe hwider hreþra ġehyġd · hweorfan wille.

   Man must pause when he tells a promise until bold spirit would know clearly where thought of hearts would turn.

   Beorn sċeal ġebīdan, · þonne hē bēot spriceð,

2. to depart, go, proceed

3. to travel, roam, go about, wander, move about

   Forþon nū mīn hyġe hweorfeð ofer hreþerlocan; mīn mōdsefa mid mereflōde ofer hwæles ēþel hweorfeð wīde, eorþan sċēatas, cymeð eft tō mē ġīfre ond grǣdiġ; ġielleð ānfloga, hweteð on wæl weġ hreþer unwearnum ofer holma ġelagu.

   Thus, my mind now wanders over heartstead; my soul wanders afar with the sea-flood over whale’s home, on the Earth’s corners, comes back, greedy and hungry, to me; the lone-flyer yells, whets the soul on the slain way over the stretch of waters with no refuses.

   10th century, The Seafarer:

4. to return

   An. DCCCXIII Hēr Wulfrēd arċebisċeop mid bletsunge Leon þǣs papan hwearf eft tō his āgnum bisċeopdōme. ⁊ þȳ ġēare ġehergode Eċġbriht cing on Westwēalas frām ēasteweardum ōþ westwearde.

   Year 813 In this year Archbishop Wulfred returned to his own bishopdom with the blessing of Pope Leo [III]. And in that year King Edgebright ravaged the Celts of Cornwall from the east to the west.

   The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Conjugation