clawen

clawen

Middle English

Etymology 1

By surface analysis, clawe +‎ -en (infinitival suffix); originally two distinct verbs:

If Old English clawan has a long stressed vowel, the pronunciation with /ɔu̯/ continues that; otherwise it likely reflects later influence from clowe, a variant of the noun clawe (which continues Old English clāwu or *clōwu).

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈklau̯ən/, /ˈklɔu̯ən/

Verb

clawen (third-person singular simple present claweth, present participle clawende, clawynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle clawed)

  1. To scratch at with the claws; to claw or make lacerations.
  2. To scratch or rub gently.
  3. (rare) To grab or grasp; to make a tight grip.
  4. (rare) To flatter; to butter up.
  5. (rare) To clean or remove by scratching.
Conjugation
Conjugation of clawen (weak in -ed or strong class 7)
infinitive (to) clawen, clawe
present tense past tense
1st-person singular clawe clawed, clew
2nd-person singular clawest clawedest, clewe1
3rd-person singular claweth clawed, clew
subjunctive singular clawe clawed2, clewe2
imperative singular —
plural3 clawen, clawe claweden, clawede, clewen, clewe
imperative plural claweth, clawe —
participles clawynge, clawende clawed, clawen, clawe, yclawed, yclawen

1 Later replaced by the 1st-/3rd-person singular or clewest.
2 Later replaced by the indicative.
3 Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Descendants
  • English: claw
  • Middle Scots: claw
References

Etymology 2

Noun

clawen

  1. plural of clawe
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