Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
noun
Guaranteed security, sanctuary, safe conduct.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Security, peace or protection guaranteed in particular instances in Old English law.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, historical, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A place of protection, a sanctuary.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, historical, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
From Middle English grith, griþ, from Late Old English griþ, from Old Norse grið (“domicile, home”), in the plural with a meaning "truce, peace; sanctuary, asylum". The English word is attested from the early 11th century, and after the end of the Anglo-Saxon period assumed a meaning of peace in general, especially by association with frith. The word became obsolete by the 16th century, or during the 17th century in Scottish English, but was revived in the context of historical novels in the 19th century. The verb griþian (“to make peace”) appears in the Laws of Æthelred (Þæt hi Godes cirican æȝhwar ȝeorne griðian and friðian) and in Middle English is attested occasionally during the 13th century.
