Thursday, March 10, 2011

Biblical Words That Have Gone Out of Use

In the English language certain words and expressions which were common in the seventeenth century have gone out of use altogether, and require explanation before they can be correctly interpreted. The following are examples of words and expressions which have become obsolete:—

All to brake (Judges 9:53) is the Anglo-Saxon tobrecan, which meant to smash. "All to brake," therefore, was used in the sense of to completely smash or break.

Away with (Isa 1:13), meant to tolerate.

Come at, meant to come near (Num 6:6).

Do to wit (2 Cor 8:1), meant make to know, to certify.

For to do, meant in order to do (Deut 4:1).

Full well (Mark 7:9), meant with full knowledge.

Go to (James 4:13), meant come now.

Trow (Luke 17:9), meant to suppose or imagine.

Wist (Luke 2:49; Mark 14:40), is the past tense of the Anglo-Saxon wit, to know.

Unwittingly (Josh 20:3), meant unknowingly.

Very (Gen 27:21; Prov 17:9; John 7:26, 8:4), meant true, real.

1 comment:

  1. I believe trow also is associated with the idea of "to find". The idea meshes well with the meaning of supposing and imagining. Trow you not?

    Incidentally, to find translates into French as "trouver" (troo-vay).

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