gesecan

Old English

Alternative forms

• ġesœ̄ċan

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *gasōkijaną, equivalent to ġe- +‎ sēċan. Cognate with Old Saxon gisōkian, Old High German gisuohhen, gisuochen, Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐍃𐍉𐌺𐌾𐌰𐌽 (gasōkjan).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jeˈseː.t͡ʃɑn/

Verb

ġesēċan

1. (transitive) to seek (after)
   • late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans

     Æfter þǣm Centenus Penula sē consul bæd þætte senatus him fultum sealdon, þæt hē mehte Hanibal mid ġefohte ġesēċan.

     After that, the consul Centenius Penula asked that the Senate give him aid, so that he could seek to meet Hannibal in battle.

2. to visit, go to, come to, approach
   • The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

     An. DCCLXXXVII Hēr nam Byrhtrīc cing Offan dohtor Ēadburge. ⁊ on his dagum cōman ǣrest III sċipa Norðmanna, ⁊ þā sē ġerēfa þǣr tō rād, ⁊ hīe wolde drīfan tō þǣs cinges tūne... Þæt wǣron þā ǣrestan sċipu Denisċra manna þe Angelcynnes land ġesōhte.

     Year 787 In this King Brightric kidnapped Offa's daughter Eadburg. And in those days came the first three Norse ships, intending to drive off the reeve and raid the king's town...Those were the first Danish ships that came to the land of the Angles.

Conjugation

Conjugation of ġesēċan (weak class 1)

infinitive	ġesēċan	ġesēċenne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	ġesēċe	ġesōhte
second person singular	ġesēċest, ġesēcst	ġesōhtest
third person singular	ġesēċeþ, ġesēcþ	ġesōhte
plural	ġesēċaþ	ġesōhton
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	ġesēċe	ġesōhte
plural	ġesēċen	ġesōhten
imperative
singular	ġesēċ
plural	ġesēċaþ
participle	present	past
	ġesēċende	ġesōht

Descendants

• Middle English: ȝesechen, isechen