clethen

clethen

Middle English

Alternative forms

• cleyth, clethe, klethen

Etymology

From Northumbrian Old English clǣðdon, variant of *clǣþian, from clǣþ; equivalent to clethe +‎ -en.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈklɛːðən/

Verb

clethen

1. (transitive, intransitive) To clothe; to put clothing on.
2. (reflexive) To wear; to put clothing on oneself.
3. (transitive) To give clothes or garments to.
4. (transitive) To enclose; to surround as to hide.
5. (rare, reflexive) To gain a trait; to immerse in an abstract quantity.
6. (rare, transitive, intransitive) To decorate or ornament.

Usage notes

This verb is primarily found in Northern Middle English.

Conjugation

Conjugation of clethen

infinitive	(to) clethen
indicative	present	past
1st person singular	clethe	cled, *clethed
2nd person singular	clethest	cled, *clethed, *cledst
3rd person singular	cletheþ, cletheth	cled, *clethed
plural	clethen	cledden, *cletheden
subjunctive	present	past
singular	clethe	cled, *clethed
plural	clethen	cledden, *cletheden
imperative	present
singular	clethe
plural	cletheþ, cletheth
participle	present	past
	clethende, clethinge	(y)cled, (y)clethed

Descendants

• Scots: cleed, cleid, cleethe

References

• “clēthen (v.)” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-06-25.