prefix, a reduced form of UMB-, perh. directly ad. ON. um- (Icel. and Norw. um-, MSw. um-, om-, Sw. and Da. om-); a similar reduction has taken place in Fris. um- (Fris. om-, âm-), MDu. um-, om- (Du. om-), MLG. and MHG. (also G.) um-, and in the occasional OE. ym-, em- for ymb-, emb-. The more important words with this form of the prefix are UMBRACE v., UMBRAID v., UMGANG sb., etc.; the following rarer verbs are chiefly found in northern texts of the 14th century:—umbehold, to look about; umcast (see quot.); umclap, to surround, invest; umclead, to clothe about; umclip, to surround; umclose, to close in, invest; umfold, to enclose, surround, umgripe, to embrace, enfold; umheed, to look about; umhill, to cover; umsee (refl.), to take heed; umseek, to search for; umshade, -shadow, to shade about, to protect; umshine, to shine about; umstand, to stand round, to guard; umtiff, to deck out, adorn; umwrithe, to wind round, entwine.
The majority of these have corresponding forms in UMBE-, and a certain number also appear with UMB-. In the cognate languages the following parallel forms with similar significations occur:—umclead, MDu. omcleeden (p.p. omghecleet), Norw. umklædd p.p.; umfold, Da. omfolde, G. umfalten (MHG. umbefalten), Du. omvouwen; umgripe, MDu. omme-, omgripen (Du. omgrijpen), MLG. ummegrîpen (MHG. umbegrîfen), NFris. âmgrip, MSw. umgripa, older Da. omgribe; umsee, WFris. omsjen, NFris. âmse, MDu. omme-, om-, umsien (Du. omzien), MSw, umsea, older Da. omse (also OFris. umbesia, MDu. ombesien, OHG. umbisehan, umbesehen, OE. ymbséon); umseek, MDu. omme-, omsocken, MSw. omsökia, older Da. omsoge; umshade, MLG. ummescheden, NFris. âmskadi; umshadow, MDu. ommescaduwen (Du. omschaduwen), MHG. umbeschatewen, -schetewen; umshine, MDu. omme-, Du. omschijnen, MHG. umbeschínen, MSw. omskina, OE. ymbscinan; umstand, MDu. omme-, omstaen (Du. omstaan), G. umstehen, older Da. omstande; umwrithe, Da. omvride, Sw. omvrida.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 731 (Ashm. MS.). *Vn-behalde þe wele on ilk halfe & haue a gud eȝe.
1887. Jamieson’s Sc. Dict., Suppl. 250/1. ‘To *umcast a splice,’ to fasten it by a wrapping of cord.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 2473 (Ashm. MS.). With þat þe kyng & his kniȝtis *vm-clappis þe cite.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter xliv. 15. Þe doghtirs of þe kynge … in hemmyngis of gold, *vmcled in sernesis.
a. 1300. E. E. Psalter xlvii. 11. Vmgiues Syon, and *vmklippes it; Telles in his toures yhit.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 4255. [A place] *Vmclosit with a course of the colde ythes, With a serkle of the se þat soght þere aboute. Ibid., 9027. The Duke of Athens … & derf Menelaus … Vmcloset the kyng and his knightes als.
1515. Scottish Field, 268, in Chetham Misc. (1856), II. He umclosed that castell, clene round aboute.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 4717. Now gase he … & a fild entris, *Vmfaldin with a faire wod.
c. 1300. E. E. Psalter lxxviii. 8. Ne mine of our alde wickenesses, for-þi; Tite *vmgripe vs þi merci.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 731 (Dubl. MS.). *Vmhede þe wele on ilke halfe & haue a god Eȝe.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter xliii. 21. Þe shadow of ded *vmhild vs. Ibid., liv. 5. Dred and qwakynge com on me, and myrknes vmhild me.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 3728. For-þi … *vmse þe be tyme, Quat tene & torfare may tide, & tent to þine ende.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 15846. Quar-for haf yee taken me, And als a theif *vm-soght?
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., x. 128. The holy gost shall light in the,… he shall *vmshade and fulfyll That thi madynhede shall neuer spyll.
a. 1300. E. E. Psalter xc. 4. With his sculdres sal he *vmschadow þe al.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter cxxxix. 8. Þou vmshadoud abouen my heuyd in day of bataile. Ibid., xc. 4. He sall gif þe vmshadowynge.
a. 1400. New Test. (Paues), Acts xxvi. 13. A lyghte þat *vmschone me and hem þat wore wiþ me.
a. 1300. E. E. Psalter cxl. 3. Set, lauerd, to mi mouth yheming, And to mi lippes doer of *vmstanding [L. ostium circumstantiæ]. Ibid., cxliii. 14. Doghtres of þam samen-dight, *Vmtiffed als licknes of kirke bright.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, cxviii. 61. Cordis of synful has *vmwrithyn me.
