swenge ofer-sōhte, þonne hē tō sæcce
bær wǣpen wundrum heard (_too strong was the hand, that
surpassed
every
sword in stroke, when he_ [Bēowulf] _bore the wondrous weapon to battle_,
i.
Beowulf
pl. feor-cȳððe bēoð sēlran ge-sōhte þām þe hine selfa
dēah, 1840.--3) _to seek with hostile intent, to attack_: pres. sg.
ge-sēceð 2516; pret. sg. ge-sōhte, 2347; pl. ge-sōhton, 2927; ge-sōhtan,
2205.
ofer-sēcan, w. acc., _to surpass, outdo_ (in an attack): pres. sg. wæs sīo
hond tō strong, sē þe mēca gehwane ...
swenge ofer-sōhte, þonne hē tō sæcce
bær wǣpen wundrum heard (_too strong was the hand, that
surpassed
every
sword in stroke, when he_ [Bēowulf] _bore the wondrous weapon to battle_,
i.
e. the hand was too strong for any sword; its strength made it useless in
battle), 2687.
sēl, st. f. See sǣl.
sēl, sǣl, adj., _good, excellent, fit_, only in compar.: nom. sg. m. sēlra,
861, 2194; þǣm þǣr sēlra wæs (_to the one that was the better_, i.e.
Hygelāc), 2200; dēað bið sēlla þonne edwīt-līf, 2891; neut. sēlre, 1385;
acc. sg.
