Selected Examples, Illustrating
the Formation of English
Derivatives from Strong Verbs.

Bairn, a child = A.S. bear-n; formed (with breaking¹ of a  to ea) from bar *, orig. form of pt. t. sing. of ber-an (bær, bǽr-on, bor-en), to bear. Hence also bar-m, the lap = A.S. bear-m. Also bier = A.S. bǽr; from bǽr-on, pt. t. pl. of ber-an. Also birth, answering to A.S. ge-byrd; from bor-en, pp. of the same (o to y). Also burd-en, A.S. byr-ð-en, from the same bor-en (o to y).

¹ An explanation of 'breaking' is book-marked in the file Brief Notes Upon the Languages Cited.

Band, Bond; from A.S. band, pt. t. sing. of bindan (band, bund-on, bund-en), to bind. Also bund-le, from A.S. bund-en, pp. of the same. Also bend = A.S. bend-an, to fasten a band or string on a bow, from bend, sb. (= band-i *), a band, from the pt. t. sing. band.

Bit = A.S. bit-a, a morsel; from bit-en, pp. of bít-an (bát, bit-on, bit-en), to bite. Bitter = A.S. bit-or, biting; from the same. Beetle (1) = A.S. bit-el, a biter, from bit-an. Bait, a Scand. word = Icel. beit-a, causal of Icel. bit-a, to bite (pt. t. sing. beit ).

Bode, A.S. bodian, to announce, bod, a message; from bod-en, pp. of beód-an (beád, bud-on, bod-en), to bid, command.

Borough = A.S. burh, burg; from burg-on, pt. pl. of beorg-an (bearg, burg-on, borg-en), to protect. Also borrow, A.S. borg-ian, v. from bork, borg, a pledge; from A.S. borg-en, pp. of the same. Also bury, A.S. byrg-an, from the same pp. borg-en (o to y).

Bow (3), sb., A.S. bog-a; from bog-en, pp. of búg-an (beáh, bug-on, bog-en), to bow, bend. Also bight, A.S. byh-t (= byg-t *); from the same pp. bog-en (o to y).

Broth, A.S. bro-ð, for brow-ð *; from brow-en, pp. of breów-an (breáw, bruw-on, brow-en), to brew. And see Bread.

Cripple, O. Northumb. cryp-el, lit. 'creeper;' from crup-on, pt. t. pl. of creópan (creáp, crup-on, crop-en), to creep (u to y).

Dreary, A.S. dreór-ig, for dreós-ig, orig. 'gory;' from dreós-an (dreás, drur-on, dror-en), to drip. Dross, A.S. dros, from dros-en *, orig. form of dror-en, pp. of the same. Also drizz-le, formed from drys-*, from the same dros-en * (o to y).

Drench, A.S. drenc-an (= dranc-ian *); from dranc, pt. t. sing. of drinc-an (dranc, drunc-on, drunc-en), to drink. Drunk-ard; drom drunc-en, pp. of the same. Drown, A.S. drunc-nian (= druncen-ian *), from the same pp. druncen.

Drop, sb. A.S. drop-a; from drop-en, pp. of obs. dreóp-an (dreáp, drup-on, drop-en), to drip. Also drip = A.S. dryppan *, from drup-on, pt. t. pl. of the same (u to g). Also droop, a Scand. word, Icel. drúp-a, allied to Icel. drjúp-a = A.S. dreóp-an.

Drove, A.S. dráf; from dráf, pt. t. sing. of dríf-an (dráf, drif-on, drif-en), to drive. Drif-t, from drif-en, pp. of the same.

Float, vb., A.S. flot-ian; from flot-en, pp. of fleót-an (fleát, flut-on *, flot-en *), to float. Fleet (1), fleet (2), fleet (3); all from the infin. fleót-an. Flit, Flot-sam; Scandinavian. Flutter, A.S. flot-or-ian, from the pp. flot-en.

Frost, A.S. fros-t;  from fros-en *, orig. form of fror-en, pp. of freósan (freás, frur-on, fror-en), to freeze. The form frosen (not found otherwise) is curiously preserved in the mod. E. frozen (unless it be a new formation); fror-en is the orig. form of frore (Milton).

Grope, A.S. gráp-ian; from gráp, pt. t. sing. of gríp-an (gráp, grip-on, grip-en), to gripe.

Lay, trans. vb., A.S. lecgan, written for leggan (= lag-ian *); from lag *, orig. form of læg, pt. t. of licgan (læg, lǽgon, leg-en), to lie. Lair, A.S. leg-er, from leg-en, pp. of licgan. And see Law, Leaguer, Ledge, Log.

Leasing, falsehood, from A.S. leás, false; from leás, pt. t. sing. of leós-an (leás, lur-on, lor-en), to lose. The suffix -less also = A.S. leás, loose or false. Lose = A.S. los-ian; from los-en *, orig. form of the pp. lor-en. For-lorn = A.S. for-lor-en, pp. of for-leósan. And see Loose, Loss.

Loan, A.S. lán (usually lǽn), put for láh-n *; from láh, pt. t. of líhan (láh, lih-on, lih-en), to grant. The verb to lend = M.E. len-en, A.S. lǽn-an; from the sb. lán (a to ǽ).

Lode, A.S. lád, a course, put for láð *; from láð, pt. t. sing. of liðan (láð, lið-on, lið-en), to travel. And see Load. Also lead, A.S. lǽd-an; from the sb. lád above (á to ǽ).

Lot, A.S. hlot, also hlyt or hlýt. Here hlot  is from hlot-en, pp., and hlyt from hlut-on (u to y), pt. t. pl., of hleót-an (hleát, hlut-on, hlot-en), to obtain by lot; or else hlýt  is from hleát (ea to y).

Main (1), sb., A.S. mǽg-en; from mæg, pres. t. of the anomalous verb mugan, to be able. Allied words are mai-d, migh-t, mick-le, much, more, most.

Malt, A.S. mealt; from mealt, pt. t. sing. of meltan (mealt, mutl-on *, molt-en), to melt. The pp. molten is still in use. Milt (1) is allied.

Nimble, A.S. nim-ol; from nim-an (nam, nám-on, num-en), to seize. Numb, from A.S. num-en, pp. of the same.

Quail (1), A.S. cwelan (cwæl, cwǽl-on, cwol-en), to die. Qual-m, A.S. cweal-m, formed (by breaking of a to ea) from cwal *, orig. form of cwæl, pt. t. sing. of the same. Quell, A.S. cwell-an (= cwal-ian *), from the same cwal * (a to e).

Rear (1), A.S. rǽr-an, to raise; put for rǽs-an *; formed (by change of á to ǽ) from rás, pt. t. sing. of rísan (rás, ris-on, ris-en), to rise. Raise is the Scand. form, Icel. reis-a, from reis, pt. t. sing. of Icel. ris-a, to rise.

Ripe, A.S. rip-e, allied to ríp, harvest; from A.S. rípan (ráp, rip-on, rip-en), to reap.

Road, A.S. rád; from rád, pt. t. sing. of rídan (rád, rid-on, rid-en), to ride. Raid is the Scand. form. Read-y, A.S. rǽd-e; from the same rád (a to ǽ).

Sake = A.S. sac-u, from sac-an (sóc, sóc-on, sac-en), to contend. Soke, Soken, A.S. sóc, sócn; from sóc, the pt. t. sing. of sacan. Seek, A.S. séc-an; from the same sóc (ó to é ). Be-seech = be-seek.

Score, A.S. scor; from scor-en, pp. of sceran (scær, scǽr-on, scor-en), to shear. And see Shore (1), Short, Shirt, Scar (2), Skirt. Also share (1), A.S. scear-u (by breaking of a to ea) from scar *, orig. form of the pt. t. scær  above.

Set, A.S. settan (= sat-ian *); from sat * (a to e), orig. form of sæt, pt. t. sing. of sitt-an (sæt, sǽt-on, set-en), to sit. Seat  is a Scand. word.

Sheet, A.S. scéte, scýte, also sceát;  from sceát, pt. t. sing. of sceót-an (sceát, scut-on, scot-en), to shoot. Shot, from the pp. scot-en. Shut, A.S. scyttan (= scot-ian *), from the same (o to y). And see Shoot, Scuttle (1) and (2), Skittish, Skittles.

Shove, A.S. scof-ian, vb.; from scof-en, pp. of scúfan (sceáf, scuf-on, scof-en), to push. Sheaf, A.S. sceáf, from sceáf, pt. t. sing. of the same. And see Shuffle, Scuffle.

Slope = A.S. sláp *; from sláp, pt. t. sing. of slípan (sláp, slip-on, slip-en), to slip. Slipper-y, A.S. slip-or, from slip-en, pp. Allied to Slop (1), Slop (2), Sloven.

Sod; from A.S. sod-en, pp. of seóð-an (seáð, sud-on, sod-en), to seethe. Suds, from the pt. t. pl. sud-on.

Song, A.S. sang; from sang, pt. t. sing. of singan (sang, sung-on, sung-en), to sing. So also singe, A.S. seng-an, from the same pt. t. sang (a to e).

Speech, A.S. spǽce, earlier form sprǽc-e; from sprǽc-on, pt. t. pl. of sprecan (spræc, sprǽc-on, sprec-en), to speak. Spokesman is a late form, due to a new M. E. pp. spoken, substituted for the earlier M. E. pp. speken.

Stair, A.S. stǽg-er;  from stág, pt. t. sing. of stígan (stág, stig-on, stig-en), to climb (á to ǽ). Also stile, A.S. stig-el, from stig-en, pp. of the same. And see Sty (1), Sty (2).

Thread, A.S. þrǽd, put for þrǽw-d *; from the infin. or pp. of þráw-an (þreów, þreów-on, þráw-en), to throw, twist.

Throng, A.S. þrang; from þrang, pt. t. sing. of þringan (þrang, þrung-on, þrung-en), to press, crowd.

Wain, A.S. wǽn, contracted form of wæg-n; from the pt. t. wæg of wegan (wæg, wǽg-on, weg-en), to carry; the infin. of which is preserved in the mod. E. weigh. Also wey, a heavy weight, A.S. wǽg-e; from the pt. t. pl. wǽg-on.

Wander, A.S. wand-rian, frequent, from wand, pt. t. sing. of windan (wand, wund-on, wund-en), to wind, turn about. Also wend, A.S. wend-an, from the same pt. t. sing. wand (a to e).

Wrangle, frequent. formed from wrang, pt. t. sing. of wringan (wrang, wrung-on, wrung-en), to twist, straing, wring. Also wrong, A.S. wrang, from the same. See also Wrench and Wrinkle.

Wroth, A.S. wráð, adj., from wráð, pt. t. sing. of wríðan (wráð, wrið-on, wrið-en), to writhe, wring. Also wreath, A.S. wrǽð, from the same (á to ǽ). And see Wrest.

From An Etymological Dictionary of the English Language, by the Rev. Walter W. Skeat, Litt.D. LL.D. Edin., M.A. Oxon. Elrington and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon in the University of Cambridge. Second Edition, 1883.