swigian
Old English
Alternative forms
- swīgan, swigian, sweogian, sweowian, swugian, swuwian, sugian, suwian
Etymology
From Proto-West Germanic *swīgēn.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈswiː.ɡi.ɑn/, [ˈswiː.ɣi.ɑn]
Verb
swīgian
- to be silent (+ genitive = about something)
- Hē swīgode, and spræc þā forþ.
- He paused, and then kept talking.
- late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of Pope Gregory's Pastoral Care
- Sē wīsa swīgaþ oþ hē onġiett þæt him biþ nytre tō sprecenne.
- Wise people stay quiet until they recognize it's more useful for them to talk.
- late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of Pope Gregory's Pastoral Care
- Hīe man sċeal ēac lǣran þæt hīe hwīlum swīgiġen þæs sōðes, for þām swā swā sēo lēasung simle dereþ þām seċġendan, swā dereþ ēac hwīlum sumum mannum þæt sōþ tō ġehīerenne.
- They should also be taught to withhold the truth sometimes, because just as a lie always harms the speaker, it can also hurt some people to hear the truth.
Conjugation
Conjugation of swīgian (weak class 2)
| infinitive | swīgian | swīgienne |
|---|---|---|
| indicative mood | present tense | past tense |
| first person singular | swīgiġe | swīgode |
| second person singular | swīgast | swīgodest |
| third person singular | swīgaþ | swīgode |
| plural | swīgiaþ | swīgodon |
| subjunctive | present tense | past tense |
| singular | swīgiġe | swīgode |
| plural | swīgiġen | swīgoden |
| imperative | ||
| singular | swīga | |
| plural | swīgiaþ | |
| participle | present | past |
| swīgiende | (ġe)swīgod | |
Descendants
- Middle English: swīen