𐍃𐍅𐌰𐍂𐌴

Gothic

Alternative forms

• 𐍃𐍅𐌰𐍂𐌴𐌹 (swarei) (spelling variant, occurs once)

Etymology

Unknown; no clear etymology and no cognates. It has been suggested to derive from 𐍃𐍅𐌰𐍂𐌰𐌽 (swaran, “to swear an oath”) +‎ -𐌴 (-ē, adverbial suffix), although this is semantically difficult.

Adverb

𐍃𐍅𐌰𐍂𐌴 • (swarē)

1. without a reason, in vain
   • Gothic Bible, Mark 7.7:

     𐌹𐌸 𐍃𐍅𐌰𐍂𐌴 𐌼𐌹𐌺 𐌱𐌻𐍉𐍄𐌰𐌽𐌳, 𐌻𐌰𐌹𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌽𐍃 𐌻𐌰𐌹𐍃𐌴𐌹𐌽𐌹𐌽𐍃, 𐌰𐌽𐌰𐌱𐌿𐍃𐌽𐌹𐌽𐍃 𐌼𐌰𐌽𐌽𐌴.

     iþ swarē mik blōtand, laisjandans laiseinins, anabusnins mannē.

     Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

References

• Lehmann, Winfred P. (1986) “S175. sware”, in A Gothic Etymological Dictionary, based on the 3rd ed. of Feist’s dictionary, Leiden: E. J. Brill, page 333
• Streitberg, Wilhelm (1910). Die gotische Bibel. Zweiter Teil: Gotisch-griechisch-deutsches Wörterbuch. Heidelberg: Carl Winter’s Universitätsbuchhandlung, p. 133