earfoþe

• earfeþe, earfod

From Proto-West Germanic *arbaiþi, from Proto-Germanic *arbaidiz (“hardship”), from a verb *arbijaną, *arbāną (“be orphaned”).

Compare Old English ierfa. See also Proto-Indo-European *h₃órbʰos, whence Ancient Greek ὀρφανός (orphanós), Latin orbus, Old Church Slavonic рабъ (rabŭ, “slave”). Cognate with Old Frisian arbēd, Old Saxon arƀed, arvēd, Old Dutch arbeit (Dutch arbeid), Old High German arbeit (German Arbeit (“work, labour”)), Old Norse erfiði (Swedish arvode (“salary”)), Gothic 𐌰𐍂𐌱𐌰𐌹𐌸𐍃 (arbaiþs).

• IPA^(key): /ˈæ͜ɑr.fo.θe/, [ˈæ͜ɑrˠ.vo.θe]

earfoþe n (nominative plural earfoþu)

1. work; labour
2. suffering; hardship
   • 10th century, The Wanderer:

     Swā cwæð eardstapa, ·  earfeþa ġemyndiġ,
     wrāþra wælsleahta, · winemǣga hryre:

     So said an earth-stepper, mindful of hardships,
     of wrathful slaughters, of kinsmen fall:

3. labour; pains; trouble; childbirth
4. disease

Strong ja-stem:

• earfoþþrāg

earfoþe (comparative earfoþra, superlative earfoþost or earfoþest)

1. hard, difficult
   • c. 992, Ælfric, "The Assumption of St. John the Apostle"

     Iohannes þa gegaderode ðæra gymstana bricas, and beseah to heofonum, þus cweðende, "Drihten Hælend, nis ðe nan ðing earfoðe; þu ge-edstaðelodest ðisne tobrocenan middangeard on þinum geleaffullum, þurh tácen þære halgan rode; ge-edstaðela nu þas deorwurðan gymstanas, ðurh ðinra engla handa, þæt ðas nytenan menn þine mihta oncnāwon, and on þe gelyfon."

     John then gathered the fragments of the jewels, and looked to heaven, thus saying, "Lord Jesus, to thee nothing is difficult; thou didst restore this crushed world for thy faithful, through sign of the holy rood; restore now these precious gems, by thy angels' hands, that these ignorant men may acknowledge thy powers, and in thee believe."

• īeþe

• earfoþnes

• Middle English: arveð