ymbe

Alternative forms

• ymb, embe, ymbi

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *umbi (“around, near”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂m̥bʰi (“round about, around”), akin to Old High German umbi (“around”), Latin ambi (“both, around”), Ancient Greek ἀμφί (amphí, “on both sides, around”), Old Irish imb, Old English bī (“near, by”). More at by

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈymbe/

Preposition

ymbe

1. around, about

   And Iohannes ƿæs ȝescryd mid oluendes hærum, and fellen ȝyrdel ƿæs ymbe his lendenu; and ȝærstapan, and ƿudu huniȝ he æt. [West saxon dialect]

   John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

   And Hierusalem, and fram Idumea and beȝeondan Iordane, and to him com mycel meneȝeo, ymbe Tirum and Sidone, ȝehyrende ða þinȝ ðe he ƿorhte. [West saxon dialect]

   When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon.

   And ða se Hælend eft on scype ferde ofer ðone muþan, him com to mycel meniȝu, and ƿæs ymbe ða sæ. [West saxon dialect]

   When Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him; and He stayed around the seashore.

2. near, along