beggen

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Either inherited from Old English *bedcian, *becgian, a syncopated variant of bedecian, or a back-formation from beggere.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈbɛɡən/

Verb

beggen (third-person singular simple present beggeth, present participle beggende, beggynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle begged)

  1. To beg; to ask for charity.
  2. To entreat or plead; to ask with fervour.
  3. To live as a beggar; to continually beg.

Conjugation

Conjugation of beggen (weak in -ed)
infinitive (to) beggen, begge
present tense past tense
1st-person singular begge begged
2nd-person singular beggest beggedest
3rd-person singular beggeth begged
subjunctive singular begge
imperative singular
plural1 beggen, begge beggeden, beggede
imperative plural beggeth, begge
participles beggynge, beggende begged, ybegged

1 Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Descendants

  • English: beg
  • Scots: beg

References