sweordes ecg

Old English

Etymology

From sweord + eċġ. Has a parallel in Old Saxon swerdes eggia, possibly stemming from Proto-West Germanic *swerdas aggju. Compare mǣċes eċġ.

Noun

sweordes eċġ f

  1. (poetic) "sword's edge"
    • w:Beowulf, verse 1104a-6b:
      Gyf þonne Frýsna hwylc frécnen sprǽce
      ðæs morþorhétes myndgiend waére
      þonne hit sweordes ecg syððan scolde.
      If any Frisian were then to remind [them] with dangerous words of that murderous enmity, then it should thereafter be the sword's edge.
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