prep. and adv. Obs. Forms: 1–2 ymbe (imbe), 1–5 umbe (3 ummbe), 3–4 umben; 5 umb. [Partly (1) OE. ymbe (with equivalent forms in the other Germanic languages; see below), whence southern ME. ümbe (see also EMBE prep.); partly (2) an adoption of ON. umb (earlier form of um; cf. UM- and UMB-), whence the midland and northern forms. The form ummbe in the Ormulum is disyllabic (cf. inne, onne, offe, etc.), and so presumably are the ME. examples of the adv.
The Germanic forms corresponding to OE. ymbe (embe), ymb, are OFris. umbe, umme, um, ombe, omme, om (WFris. om), MDu. omme, om (Du. om), OS. umbi, um (MLG. umbe, umb, umme), OHG. umbi (umpi), umbe (MHG. umbe, umme, umb, umm, um; also ūmbe, etc.; G. um), ON. umb, um (Icel. and Norw. um, Sw. and Da. om). The stem is represented in other Indo-European languages by Gr. ἀμφί (ἀμφίς) ἀμφι-, L. ambi-, Gaulish ambi-, Irish imb-, im(m)-.]
A. prep. 1. Around, about.
Beowulf, 2883. Werʓendra to lyt þrong ymbe þeoden. Ibid., 3170. Þa ymbe hlæw riodan hildedeore.
971. Blickling Hom., 141. Ealle þa þe ymbe me standaþ.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., I. 218. Wið þæt reng-wyrmas ymbe þone nafolan deriʓen.
a. 1310. in Wright, Lyric P., ix. 35. Hire gurdel of bete gold isal, Umben hire middel smal.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 879. Þus þay þrobled & þrong & þrwe vmbe his erez.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1830. Ho laȝt a lace lyȝtly, þat leke vmbe hir sydez.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 2209 (Dubl. MS.). Alexander als belyfe all vmbe þe cyte Mase iiij Mille to fonde.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 335. Vmbe the sercle of the Citie was sothely a playne. Ibid., 8745. A tabernacle triet & tristyly wroght;… Hit was atiryt vmb the top all with triet stones.
2. About, concerning, of.
Beowulf, 2070. Ic sceal forð sprecan ʓen ymbe Grendel.
c. 900. trans. Baeda’s Hist., V. xii. (1890), 422. Se arwyrða bisscop … feorr & wide Godes word ymbe Cristes ʓeleafan bodade & lærde.
c. 1000. Ags. Psalter (Thorpe), xxxvii. 18. Forþæm ic andette Gode min unriht, and ic þence ymbe mine synna.
a. 1100[?]. O. E. Chron., an. 1070. Þa þa hi þyder comon & umbe oþer þing ʓesprecon hæfdon umbe þæt hi sprecan woldon.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 95. He dude þet heo weren … bodiende umbe godes riche. Ibid., 147. Þreo roden beoð þa ich umbe speche.
c. 1200. Ormin, 304. Þatt tiss Elysa bæþ, Þatt we nu mælenn ummbe, Wass þuss off Aaroness kinn.
b. Busied with, aiming at, seeking after.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Hom., I. 12. Ac hi æfre beoð ymbe þæt an, hu hi maʓon Gode hyrsumian.
a. 1200. St. Marher., 6. Helle hundes … haue) al biset me, ah þu, hehe healent, beo umbe me to helpen.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 218. He … makeð hire ueire cheres, & is vmbe euriches weis þet heo him luuie inwardliche in hire heorte.
c. 1225. in Rel. Ant., II. 5. For-þi he is eaver umben to reare sum ladðe.
3. After (in time).
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xvii. 21. Min wedd soðlice ic sette to Isaace, þone þe Sarra þe acenð on þiste tide nu ymbe twelfmonð.
a. 1122. O. E. Chron., Pref. (Laud MS.). And þa ʓelamp hit imbe ʓeara rina, þæt Scotta sum-dæl ʓewat of Ybernian on Brittene.
c. 1205. Lay., 2632. Vmben ane stunde, þa scipen ʓaru weoren. Ibid., 6617. Hit wes vmbe fif winter, seoððe he heonne ferde.
a. 1225. Leg. Kath., 518. Þes sondesmon, umbe long, þa he hefde al þet lond ourgan & þurhsoht, com [etc.].
4. Umbe throwe, = UMBEWHILE adv. 2.
a. 1310. in Wright, Lyric P., iv. 25. We shule aryse ur fader byfore, thah fon us fallen umbe throwe.
B. adv. About, round.
Beowulf, 2597. Nealles him on heape hand-ʓesteallan, æðelinga bearn, ymbe ʓestodon.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., C. 309. Þe grete flem or þy flod folded me vmbe.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 2762 (Dubl. MS.). The ledes oute of Landace & all þe Landes vmbe.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 1455. Grete Troy was vp tild with mony toures vmbe.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., VII. 106. Do donge vppon and vmbe on euery side, And bynde hit to.
