In compound words (certain combinations with unaccented prefixes excepted) the first element of the compound (which modifies or determines the meaning of the second element) has the primary accent, the second element having only a secondary accent, e.g. _wúldor-cỳning_, _hḗah-sètl_, _sṓð-fæ̀st_.[55] If therefore the compound has, as is mostly the case, only one alliterative sound, that alliteration must necessarily fall on the first part of the compound: _=w=ī́tig =w=úldorcyning =w=órlde and héofona._ Dan. 427. Sometimes it happens that in hemistichs of no great length the second part of the compound carries one of the two rhythmical accents of the hemistich, e.g. _on =h=ḗah-sétle =h=éofones wáldend._ Cri. 555. and in a particular form of alliteration[56] it may even contain one of the alliterating sounds, as in the verse: _hwæt! we =G=ā́r=d=éna in =g=ēar=d=águm._ Beow. 1. The less strongly accented derivational and inflexional suffixes, though they are not allowed to alliterate, may occasionally have the rhythmical accent, on condition that they immediately follow upon a long accented syllable, e.g. _mid =W=ýlfíngum, þā hine =W=ára cýn._ Beow. 461. _ne méahte ic æt =h=ílde mid =H=rúntínge._ ib. 1659. The rhythmical value of syllables with a secondary accent will be considered more fully later on. These general rules for the accent of compound words formed of noun + noun or adjective + noun require modification for the cases where a prefix (adverb or preposition) stands in close juxtaposition with a verb or noun. The preposition standing before and depending on a noun coalesces so closely with it that the two words express a single notion, the noun having the chief accent, e.g. _onwég_, _āwég_ (away), _ætsómne_ (together), _ofdū́ne_ (down), _toníhte_ (to-night), _onmíddum_ (amid); examples in verse are: _gebād =w=íntra =w=órn ǣr he on=w=ég hwúrfe._ Beow. 264. _=s=ī́d æt=s=ómne þā ge=s=úndrod wǽs._ Gen. 162. But while the prepositional prefix thus does not carry the alliteration owing to its want of accent, some of the adverbs used in composition are accented, others are unaccented, and others again may be treated either way. When the adverbial prefix originally stood by itself side by side with the verb, and may in certain cases still be disjoined from it, it has then the primary accent, because it is felt as a modifying element of the compound. When, however, the prefix and the verb have become so intimately united as to express one single notion, the verb takes the accent and the prefix is treated as proclitic, and there is a third class of these compounds which are used indifferently with accent on the prefix or on the verb.