blætan

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *blātijan.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈblæː.tɑn/

Verb

blǣtan

  1. to baa, bleat
    • 10th century, Exeter Book Riddle 24[1]:
      Iċ eom wunderliċu wiht, wrǣsne mīne stefne, hwīlum beorce swā hund, hwīlum blǣte swā gāt, hwīlum grǣde swā gōs, hwīlum ġielle swā hafoc,…
      I am a wonderful thing, change my voice, sometimes bark like a hound, sometimes bleat like a goat, sometimes cry like a goose, sometimes yell like a hawk,…

Conjugation

Descendants

  • Middle English: bleten, blete, bleyte, blætenn (rare)
    • English: bleat
    • Scots: blete, bleit, blate, blait
      • Scots: blaitand (present participle)