giefu

• ġifu — West Saxon
• ġyfu — Late West Saxon
• ġeofu — Mercian

From Proto-West Germanic *gebu, from Proto-Germanic *gebō. Cognates include Old Frisian jeve, Old Saxon geva, Old High German geba, Old Norse gjǫf, and Gothic 𐌲𐌹𐌱𐌰 (giba).

• IPA^(key): /ˈji͜y.fu/, [ˈji͜y.vu]

ġiefu f

(Early West Saxon)

1. present, gift
   • 10th century, The Seafarer:

     Forþon nis þæs mōdwlonc mon ofer eorþan, ne his ġifena þæs god, ne in ġeoguþe tō þæs hwæt, ne in his dǣdum tō þæs dēor, ne him his dryhten tō þæs hold, þæt hē ā his sǣfōre sorge næbbe, tō hwon hine dryhten ġedōn wille.

     Thus, there is no mind-proud man over Earth, nor his gifts of god, nor too bold in youth, nor too daring in his deeds, nor his Lord too kind for him, who would never have his seafarer sorrow, for which the Lord would like to put on him.

2. (theology) grace

Strong ō-stem:

• ġiefan

• Middle English: gife, ȝyfe, ȝef, ȝif, yeve