græs
The English phrase grass is græs in Old English.
græs is a noun used to refer to a ground cover plant.
Meaning: ground cover plant (noun)
Did you know?
- Old English writers often used the term græs in metaphors for the fleeting nature of human life, comparing people to grass that withers quickly.
- In Old English, græs did not just mean the lawn plants we think of today, but could refer to any green herb or vegetable growing from the earth.
- The word græs is a close linguistic relative of the Old Norse word gras, meaning that an Old English speaker and a Viking might have understood each other perfectly on this specific topic.
Examples in context
- Se hund lēg on þæm græse.The dog lay on the grass.
Example conversation
Eadric and Æthelflæd are looking at a meadow.
- EadricHwæt is þis græs?What is this grass?
- ÆthelflædHit is grēne græs.It is green grass.
- EadricIs hit gōd for cȳ?Is it good for cows?
- ÆthelflædGēa, Eadric, hit is gōd.Yes, Eadric, it is good.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries græs, CC BY-SA 4.0.
