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 sb., in various senses.
1. The quality of being strong, whether in physical or immaterial senses.
Beowulf, 1533. Wearp ða wundenmæl … strenge ʓetruwode mundgripe mæʓenes. Ibid., 2540. Strengo ʓetruwode anes mannes.
c. 825. Vesp. Psalter xxxvii. 11. Heorte min ʓedroefed 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.
c. 1275. Prov. Ælfred, 561, in O. E. Misc. Gif … þu ne moȝe mid strenghe þe selwen steren.
c. 1400. trans. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh., 117. Brodnesse of thees and heles, bytoknys stryngh of body.
c. 1420. Anturs of Arth., 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.
