▪ I. † strengh, n. Obs.
Forms: 1 strengo, strengu, 3 strenge, 3–5 strengh(e, 5 stryngh(e.
[OE. stręngu wk. fem. = OS. (megin)strengi, OHG. strengî, strangî (MHG., mod.G. strenge):—OTeut. type *straŋgîn-, f. *straŋgo- strong a.]
= strength n., in various senses.
1. The quality of being strong, whether in physical or immaterial senses.
| Beowulf 1533 Wearp ða wundenmæl..strenge ᵹetruwode mundgripe mæᵹenes. Ibid. 2540 Strengo ᵹetruwode anes mannes. c 825 Vesp. Psalter xxxvii. 11 Heorte min ᵹedroefed is in me & forleort mec strengu min. c 1205 Lay. 26690 Þa atstoden Rom-leoden mid ræȝe strenȝe [sic; c 1275 strengþe]. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 714 Quor deades strenge warp him dun. Ibid. 3728 [God's] milce is mikel, is strenge is strong. a 1275 Prov. ælfred 561 in O.E. Misc., Gif..þu ne moȝe mid srenghe þe selwen steren. c 1400 tr. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh. 117 Brodnesse of thees and heles, bytoknys stryngh of body. a 1420 Aunters of Arthur 266 (Thornton MS.) Ȝoure kynge es to couetous..; Maye no mane stere hym of strenghe, whilles þe whele standis. 14.. in Parker Dom. Archit. (1859) III. 42 Then the strenghe of the streme astoned hem stronge. |
b. Force, violence.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 19323 Bot strengh nan did þai þam till, For þai come wit þaim al wit will. c 1300 Leg. Gregory (Schulz) 238 Sche swore, sche schuld hir neuer ȝeld, Bot he wiþ strenge hir wonne. |
2. concr. a. An armed force. b. A fortified place.
| ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 2242 Thane the conquerour tuke kepe, and come with his strenghes To reschewe the ryche mene of the Rounde Table. Ibid. 1475. 1489 Hen. VII in Paston Lett. III. 358 The garnson of the towne of Concarnewe, which is oon of the grettest strenghes of all Bretayn, was besieged. |
▪ II. † strengh, v. Obs.
Forms: 3–5 streng(e, strengh(e, (4 strenghi), 5 stryngh(e.
[OE. *stręngan (cf. ætstręngan to deforce, withhold wrongfully):—prehistoric *strangjan, f. strang strong a.
If the word had survived it would normally have become stringe in the south and streng or string in the north.]
trans. To make strong or stronger (in material or immaterial sense); to strengthen, confirm; to fortify, to reinforce.
| a 1175 Cott. Hom. 237 And elc of ham [sc. laws] ȝestrenð & fulfellþ oðre. c 1200 Ormin 2614 For þild birrþ ben wiþþ iwhillc mahht To beoldenn itt & strengenn. a 1225 St. Marher. 14 Þis beoð þe wepnen..þat strengeð ham stale⁓wardlukest aȝein me. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 717 Þeos meiden..stod, þurh þeos steuene starcliche istrenget. a 1300 Cursor M. 18930 Þe fire es god to strengh þe tile. c 1315 Shoreham Poems i. 701 For bred strengeþ þe herte of man. a 1340 Hampole Psalter xvii. 20 He reft me out fra my faes stalworthest,..for þai ere strenghid [confortati sunt] abouen me. Ibid. lxvii. 31 Strenghi in the and conferme in vs..that thou wroght in vs. c 1400 Melayne 1365 He comes at hande With men of armes a sexty thowsande, To strenghe with ȝone Cite. c 1400 tr. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh. 82 Some þing strynghys and fattys þe body, some makys it megre and feble. c 1435 Torr. Portugal 113 Now god, þat Dyed appon a Rode, Strengithe hym bothe bone and blod, The fyld for to haue! c 1440 Ps. Penit. (1894) 18 Thei strenghed hem that my sowle sought. |
Hence † ˈstrenghing vbl. n.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 18678 Bot þair mistrouth..Es strenghing of vr trouth to dai. 1535 in Lett. Suppress. Monasteries (Camden) 31 That ye had brought that tale unto him more for the strenghing and confirmation of your opinion then for any other thing els. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 62 So inordinatlie to promove his freindis to landis and lordschipis ffor the strenghen of his awin house. |