gefæstnian

From ġe- +‎ fæstnian. Cognate with Old High German gifastinōn.

• IPA^(key): /jeˈfæst.ni.ɑn/

ġefæstnian

1. to fix, confirm, make fast
   • c. 1000, Ælfric of Eynsham (tr.), Hexameron of St. Basil:

     God ġeworhte ðā sōna twā sċīnende lēoht myċele and mǣre, mōnan and sunnan, ðā sunnan on meriġen tō ðǣs dæġes lihtinge, ðone mōnan on ǣfen mannum tō lihtinge on nihtlīcere tīde...And ealle steorran hē ēac ðā geworhte, and hē hī ġefæstnode on ðām fæstan rodore ðæt hī ðā eorðan onlīhton mid heora mæniġfealdum lēoman

     Thereafter, God made two shining lights, a greater one and a lesser one, the moon and the sun, with the Sun to shine by day, and the moon to shine by night...and he also made all the stars, and he fixed them in the firm heavens so that they could illumine the earth with their manyfold rays.

2. to imprison, fetter
3. to establish (relations), settle, determine
4. to make steady, constant
5. to secure, make safe
6. to entrust, commit