geniman

Old English

Alternative forms

• genioman — Mercian

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *ganemaną, equivalent to ġe- +‎ niman. Cognate with Old Saxon giniman, Middle Dutch genēmen, Old High German gineman.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jeˈni.mɑn/

Verb

ġeniman

1. to grasp, comprehend
2. to take as a wife or queen
   • The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

     An. DCCCCLXV Hēr on þissum ġēare Ēadgār cyning ġenam Ælfþrȳþ tō cwēne. Hēo wæs Ordgāres dohtor ealdormannes.

     Year 955 In this year King Edgar took Aelfthryth as his queen. She was the daughter of Alderman Ordgar.

3. to receive, accept, retain, obtain what is handed over or paid
4. to lay hold of, steal
5. to take, seize, capture by violence
   • The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

     An. DCCLXXVII Hēr Cynewulf ⁊ Offa ġefuhton ymb Benesingtūn ⁊ Offa ġenam þone tūn.

     Year 777 In this year Cynewulf and Offa fought near Benson and Offa seized the town.

   • late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans

     Wearð þæt unġemetlīċe myċle ġefeoht betwuh Crētense, ⁊ Atheniense, þǣm folcum. ⁊ þā Crētense hæfdon ðone grimlēċan siġe, ⁊ ealle þā æþelestan bearn þāra Athēniensa hȳ ġenomon, ⁊ sealdon þǣm Mīnōtaurō tō etanne, þæt wæs healf mon healf lēo.

     There was an immensely great war between the Cretans and the Athenians. And the Cretans won a grim victory, and they took all the most noble of the Athenian children and gave them to the Minotaur, who was half man and half lion, for him to eat.

Conjugation

Conjugation of ġeniman (strong, class IV)

infinitive	ġeniman	ġenimenne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	ġenime	ġenam, ġenōm
second person singular	ġenimest, ġenimst	ġenōme, ġenāme
third person singular	ġenimeþ, ġenimþ	ġenam, ġenōm
plural	ġenimaþ	ġenōmon, ġenāmon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	ġenime	ġenōme, ġenāme
plural	ġenimen	ġenōmen, ġenāmen
imperative
singular	ġenim
plural	ġenimaþ
participle	present	past
	ġenimende	ġenumen

Notes on Conjugation

• See niman.