† gnedeadj.

Etymology: Of difficult etymology. The ordinary Old English forms gnéað, gníeðe (gnéðe), are not represented in later English; the type *gníede (*gnéde), whence the Middle English form, appears to be authenticated by the manuscript forms gnedra (genitive plural), ungnyde, though these are usually regarded as scribal errors. The three English types seem to represent Old Germanic *ga-nauþo- , *ga-nauþjo- , *ga-naudjo ( < *ga- = y- prefix + *nauþ- , naud- : see need n.¹); the last of these occurs in Old High German ginôti, gnôte (Middle High German genœte) close, narrow, eager for. The fluctuation between the -o- and -jo- declension may perhaps indicate (as in many other adjectives) an original u stem.