torfian

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *turbōną, *turbijaną (“to turn, twist”), from Proto-Indo-European *derbʰ- (“to tie together, weave”). Related to Old English tearflian (“to turn, roll, wallow”), Alemannic German zirbeln (“to swirl, whirl, roll”), Icelandic tyrfa (“to cover with turf”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtor.fi.ɑn/, [ˈtorˠ.vi.ɑn]

Verb

torfian

1. to throw, shoot missiles at, launch
2. to stone
3. to be tossed

Conjugation

Conjugation of torfian (weak class 2)

infinitive	torfian	torfienne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	torfiġe	torfode
second person singular	torfast	torfodest
third person singular	torfaþ	torfode
plural	torfiaþ	torfodon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	torfiġe	torfode
plural	torfiġen	torfoden
imperative
singular	torfa
plural	torfiaþ
participle	present	past
	torfiende	(ġe)torfod

Derived terms

• atorfian (“to throw forth”)
• ġetorfian (“to stone”)
• oftorfian (“to stone to death”)
• tōtorfian (“to fling in different directions”)

 

Related terms

• turf

Descendants

• Middle English: torvien, torven
  • English: topsy-turvy, torve (totorve)

References

• Joseph Bosworth and T. Northcote Toller (1898) “torfian”, in An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press.