ælce dæge

Old English

Alternative forms

• elce dæg
• ælċe dæg

Etymology

From ǣlċe (“each”) +‎ dæġe (“day”). ǣlċe and dæge are in the instrumental case.

Adverb

ǣlċe dæġe

1. every day
   • early 11th century, anonymous gloss of Ælfric's Latin Colloquy (c. 995)

     Ǣlċe dæġe iċ sċeal erian fulne æcer oþþe mā.

     Every day I have to plow a full acre or more.

   • late 10th century, Ælfric, "The Seven Sleepers"

     ...and theodosius sē mǣra casere þā hē swilce unġewitt ǣlce dæġe ġehyrde...

     And Theodosius, the great emperor, when he heard such folly every day,...

   • c. 992, Ælfric, "Midlent Sunday"

     Māre wundor is þæt God Ælmihtiġ ǣlce dæġ fēt ealne middangeard,

     A greater miracle it is that God Almighty every day feeds all the world,...

   • late 10th century, Ælfric, "Ash-Wednesday"

     Wē sceolan bēon þeonde symble on gōdnysse and ēlce dæġ ġeeacnian ūs þā ēcean speda þā hwīle þe we mōton forðan þe wē ne magon æfter ūre ġeendunge aht dōn tō gōde ac þǣr wē habbað edlēan þæs ðe wē ġe-earnodon hēr.

     We must be ever increasing in goodness, and every day increase for ourselves the eternal riches, the while we may, because we cannot, after our ending, do aught that is good, but there we shall have reward of that which we have merited here.

   • late 10th century, Ælfric, "The Prayer of Moses (Mid-lent)"

     Nū ġe-setton þā halgan fæderas þæt wē fæston mid ġerade and ǣlce dæġ eton mid ge-dafenlicnysse swā þæt ūre lichama alefed ne wurðe ne eft ofer fæt tō īdelum lustum.

     Now the holy Fathers have appointed that we fast with prudence and eat befittingly every day, so that our body become not enfeebled, nor again over fat unto vain lusts.