Obs. Forms: 1–2 þeʓnian (1 ðæʓn-), þénian, 2 þeiʓnen, 3 þæinen, þeine(n. [OE. þeʓnian, f. þeiʓn, THANE = ON. þegna, OHG. deganôn:—OTeut. *þegnôjan, f. *þegnoz THANE.] intr. To be a servant or minister, to perform the duties of an office. With dative: To minister to, wait or attend upon, serve (a person); hence, quasi-trans.
Beowulf, 561. Ic him þenode deoran sweorde swa hit ʓedefe wæs.
a. 900. trans. Bæda’s Hist., III. xvii. [xxiii.] (1890), 232. Þa he ða moniʓ ʓer … biscophad þeʓnade.
971. Blickl. Hom., 33. He wæs soþ God, þe him englas þeʓnedon.
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. viii. 15. Hiu aras & dæʓnade heom.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., ibid. Ða aras heo & þenode him.
c. 1160. Hatton Gosp., ibid. Þa aras hyo & þeiʓnede hym.
a. 1175. Cott. Hom., 239. Mid al þan þe … laȝelice her him þenið.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 109. Vnwurðe bið þe on elde þet him oðer men þenien.
c. 1205. Lay., 24595. Þer weoren a þusen cnihtes bald … þat þeineden þan kinge. Ibid., 24621. A þusend hire eode biuore … to þæinen þere quene.
a. 1225. St. Marher., 23. Þeos þreo in an iþeinet of engles.
a. 1250. Prov. Ælfred, 499, in O. E. Misc., 132. Loke þat þu him þeine mid alle þeuues þines.
Hence † Theining (þeiʓnung, þening), ministration, service, office.
c. 888. K. Ælfred, Boeth., xxxvii. § 1. ʓif him mon þonne awint of þa claþas, & him oftihð þara þenunga & þæs anwealdes.
a. 900. trans. Bæda’s Hist., II. xiv. [xvi.] (1890), 144. Næniʓ … hrinan dorste ne ne wolde buton his nedþearflicre þeʓnunge.
971. Blickl. Hom., 209. Englas beoð to ðeʓnunge gæstum fram Gode hider on world sended.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. xxvi. 19. Hiʓ ʓe-ʓearwodon him easter-þenunga.
a. 1175. Cott. Hom., 233. His water [us werpð] drench and fiscynn his fer manifeald þeninge.
