hreþer

Old English

Alternative forms

• hræþer, hraþer, hreþor

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *herþrą.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈxre.θer/, [ˈr̥e.ðer]

Noun

hreþer m or n

1. (anatomy) chest; bosom; torso
2. (figuratively) heart; mind; thought
   • 10th century, The Wanderer:

     Beorn sċeal ġebīdan, · þonne hē bēot spriceð,
     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.

Declension

Strong a-stem:

	singular	plural
nominative	hreþer	hreþras
accusative	hreþer	hreþras
genitive	hreþres	hreþra
dative	hreþre	hreþrum

Strong a-stem:

	singular	plural
nominative	hreþer	hreþru
accusative	hreþer	hreþru
genitive	hreþres	hreþra
dative	hreþre	hreþrum