swifan

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *swībaną (“to move”), from Proto-Indo-European *swey- (“to swing, sweep, bend”). Cognate with Old Frisian swīva, swīfa (“to waver”), Old Norse svífa (“to drift, ramble, rove”), Gothic 𐍃𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌱𐌰𐌽 (sweiban).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈswiː.fɑn/, [ˈswiː.vɑn]

Verb

swīfan

  1. to move in a course, revolve
  2. to sweep
  3. to intervene

Conjugation

Descendants

  • Middle English: swiven
  • ⇒ Middle English: swift
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