† anhighv.

Etymology: Either (i) the reflex of an unattested Old English weak Class I verb (West Saxon) *ahīegan , (Anglian) *ahēgan (cognate with Old Dutch irhōen (Middle Dutch erhogen ), Middle Low German erhȫgen , Old High German irhōhen (Middle High German erhœhen , German erhöhen ), all in senses ‘to raise, to increase, to exalt’, Gothic ushauhjan to magnify; < the Germanic base of or- prefix (compare a- prefix¹) + the Germanic base of high v.), with expansion of the first element to an- prefix¹ due to confusion of a- prefix¹ with a- prefix³, perhaps influenced by on high at high adj. and n.² Phrases 3, or (ii) < an- prefix¹ + high v.; compare enhigh v., inhigh v. Compare on high at high adj. and n.² Phrases 3.For alteration of a prefix comparable to the development suggested at (i) compare anhungered adj. (and see the discussion at an- prefix¹). The form andheȝed (MS and heȝed ) perhaps shows alteration of the first element by association with and- prefix (compare β. forms at that entry), unless the form is simply a transmission error. With the reconstructed Old English form compare the discussion of forms at high v. The following was formerly interpreted as an earlier attestation of the present word in the otherwise unattested sense ‘to raise (on the gallows), to hang’, but is much more likely to show the prepositional phrase on hie in haste, quickly (see hie n. and compare in hie at hie n.), especially as the phrase is attested in this spelling elsewhere in the source:c1330 (?a1300) Arthour & Merlin (Auch.) (1973) l. 2356 Told hem þis vilanie And seyd he wald hom an heiȝe.