lēogan
To lie in Old English is lēogan.
The verb refers to the act of telling an intentional untruth.
Meaning: tell an intentional untruth (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
The infinitive form is lēogian, and the past tense is lēogode.
Did you know?
- While lēogan refers to the act of lying, the Old English concept of truth was often tied to 'trēow', the same root as the modern word 'tree'. This suggests that truth was viewed as something rooted and stable.
- In early Old English legal codes, the act of lēogan in court could lead to 'compurgation', where the accused had to find others to swear to their truthfulness.
- The Old English term for telling a lie could sometimes be used metaphorically in poetry to describe something that was deceptive in appearance, such as a beautiful but dangerous trap.
Examples in context
- Hit is unsoðIt is a lie
- Ðu unsoð spricst!You speak falsehood!
- Ic ne mæg lēogan.I cannot lie.
Example conversation
Two nobles arguing about a secret.
- ÆthelflædHū mægst þū lēogan swā?How can you lie so?
- GodricIc ne lēoge.I am not lying.
- ÆthelflædÞū lēogst mē, Godric!You are lying to me, Godric!
- GodricSōþ is mīn word.My word is truth.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lie” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
