forlætan

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *fralētaną, equivalent to for- +‎ lǣtan. Cognate with Old High German firlāzzan, Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌻𐌴𐍄𐌰𐌽 (fralētan). Compare Icelandic forláta (“to forsake”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /forˈlæː.tɑn/

Verb

forlǣtan

to leave
Hē forlēt þæt hūs for þrim tīdum.
He left the house three hours ago.
- Life of St. Guthlac
  Wilfriþ cwæþ þæt hē forlēte his twā glōfan on þām sċipe.
  Wilfrid said he left his two gloves on the ship.
- c. 992, Ælfric, "St. Benedict, Abbot"
  Gang nū tō mynstre ġif þū mæġe, and mē āna forlǣt.
  Now go to the monastery if you can, and leave me alone.
to abandon, desert
Hwæder wilt þū þæt iċ gā? On forlǣten īeġland?
Where do you want me to go? To a deserted island?
to allow
to stop an action
to lose something
- early 12th century, note from a scribe to his apprentice, written on a copy of Pope Gregory's Pastoral Care
  Wrīt þus oþþe bet oþþe þīne hȳd forlǣt.
  Write like this or better or lose your skin.
- c. 900, Werferth, translation of the Dialogues of Gregory
  Sum mann forlēt his ēagena ġesihte.
  Someone lost his eyesight.

Conjugation

Conjugation of forlǣtan (strong class 7)

indicative mood	present tense	past tense
infinitive	forlǣtan	forlǣtenne
first person singular	forlǣte	forlēt, forleort
second person singular	forlǣtst	forlēte, forleorte
third person singular	forlǣtt, forlǣt	forlēt, forleort
plural	forlǣtaþ	forlēton, forleorton
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	forlǣte	forlēte, forleorte
plural	forlǣten	forlēten, forleorten
imperative
singular	forlǣt
plural	forlǣtaþ
participle	present	past
	forlǣtende	forlǣten

Descendants

Middle English: forleten
- English: forlet
- Scots: forleet