FromProto-West Germanic*arbaiþi, fromProto-Germanic*arbaidiz(“hardship”), from a verb*arbijaną,*arbāną(“be orphaned”).
CompareOld Englishierfa. See alsoProto-Indo-European*h₃órbʰos, whenceAncient Greekὀρφανός(orphanós),Latinorbus,Old Church Slavonicрабъ(rabŭ,“slave”). Cognate withOld Frisianarbēd,Old Saxonarƀed,arvēd,Old Dutcharbeit (Dutcharbeid),Old High Germanarbeit (GermanArbeit(“work, labour”)),Old Norseerfiði (Swedisharvode(“salary”)),Gothic𐌰𐍂𐌱𐌰𐌹𐌸𐍃(arbaiþs).
- IPA(key): /ˈæ͜ɑr.fo.θe/,[ˈæ͜ɑrˠ.vo.θe]
earfoþe n (nominative pluralearfoþu)
- work;labour
- suffering;hardship
10th century,The Wanderer:Swā cwæð eardstapa, · earfeþa ġemyndiġ,
wrāþra wælsleahta, · winemǣga hryre:- So said an earth-stepper, mindfulof hardships,
of wrathful slaughters, of kinsmen fall:
- labour;pains;trouble;childbirth
- disease
Strongja-stem:
earfoþe (comparativeearfoþra,superlativeearfoþostorearfoþest)
- hard,difficult
- c. 992,Ælfric, "The Assumption of St. John the Apostle"
Iohannes þa gegaderode ðæra gymstana bricas, and beseah to heofonum, þus cweðende, "Drihten Hælend, nis ðe nan ðingearfoðe; þu ge-edstaðelodest ðisne tobrocenan middangeard on þinum geleaffullum, þurh tácen þære halgan rode; ge-edstaðela nu þas deorwurðan gymstanas, ðurh ðinra engla handa, þæt ðas nytenan menn þine mihta oncnāwon, and on þe gelyfon."- John then gathered the fragments of the jewels, and looked to heaven, thus saying, "Lord Jesus, to thee nothing isdifficult; thou didst restore this crushed world for thy faithful, through sign of the holy rood; restore now these precious gems, by thy angels' hands, that these ignorant men may acknowledge thy powers, and in thee believe."
Declension ofearfoþe — Strong
Declension ofearfoþe — Weak
