thornen
English
Etymology
From Middle English thornen, from Old English þyrnen (“thorny, of thorns”), from Proto-West Germanic *þurnīn, from Proto-Germanic *þurnīnaz (“of thorns”), equivalent to thorn + -en.
Adjective
thornen (comparative more thornen, superlative most thornen)
- (dialectal or obsolete) Made of or consisting of thorns.
- 1897, Frederick Hancock, The parish of Selworthy in the county of Somerset, page 233:
- In that district it was a favourite remedy for scald head in a baby to hang cotton wool on a "thornen hedge" by moonlight.
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Middle English
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈθɔrnən/, /ˈθoːrnən/
Etymology 1
Inherited from Old English þyrnen, from Proto-West Germanic *þurnīn, from Proto-Germanic *þurnīnaz (“of thorns”), equivalent to thorn + -en (“made of”).
Alternative forms
- thornnen, þeornen, þornen
Adjective
thornen
- Composed of thorns or thorny plants; made of or consisting of thorns.
Descendants
- English: thornen (obsolete)
References
- “thornen, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-09-12.
Etymology 2
From thorn + -en (infinitival suffix).
Alternative forms
- thorne, thorny, þornen
Verb
thornen (rare)
- To thorn; to poke as with thorns.
- To have or grow thorns.
Conjugation
Conjugation of thornen (weak in -ed)
| infinitive | (to) thornen, thorne | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| present tense | past tense | ||
| 1st-person singular | thorne | thorned | |
| 2nd-person singular | thornest | thornedest | |
| 3rd-person singular | thorneth | thorned | |
| subjunctive singular | thorne | ||
| imperative singular | — | ||
| plural1 | thornen, thorne | thorneden, thornede | |
| imperative plural | thorneth, thorne | — | |
| participles | thornynge, thornende | thorned, ythorned | |
1Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.
Descendants
- English: thorn
References
- “thornen, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-09-12.