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wenan. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
wenan, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
wenan in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
wenan you have here. The definition of the word
wenan will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
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Breton
Noun
wenan
- Soft mutation of gwenan.
Old English
Etymology
From Proto-Germanic *wēnijaną. Cognate with Old Frisian wēna, Old Saxon wānian, Old High German wānen (German wähnen), Old Norse væna, Gothic 𐍅𐌴𐌽𐌾𐌰𐌽 (wēnjan).
Pronunciation
Verb
wēnan
- to think (be of a certain opinion)
Iċ wēne þæt iċ wite hwǣr þīna cǣġa sīen.- I think I know where your keys are.
Hwæt wēnaþ ġē be þām þe wē ealle hwǣrhwugu ġemēten?- What do you guys think of us all meeting up somewhere?
- to expect (+ genitive)
- Early 11th century, Wulfstan, "Secundum Lucam"
Uton helpan ūre selfra þā hwīle þe wē magon, þȳ lǣs wē forweorðen þonne wē lǣst wēnen.- Let us help ourselves while we can, lest we perish when we least expect it.
- (poetic) to hope
Usage notes
A following verb expressing what is thought or expected is usually in the subjunctive mood: Iċ wēne þæt þū sīe lēoflīċ ("I think you're lovely").
Conjugation
Derived terms
- wēn (“expectation”)
- wēna (“opinion”)
Descendants