climben

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old English climban, from Proto-Germanic *klimbaną.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈkliːmbən/, /ˈklimbən/
  • (Late ME) IPA(key): /ˈkliːmən/, /ˈklimən/

Verb

climben

  1. To climb or scale (travel vertically or diagonally up a surface)
    1. (figurative) To ascend or climb religiously.
    2. (figurative) To increase one's position in society.
    3. (figurative) To set a goal; to aim.
    4. (figurative, rare) To surmount; to prevail.
  2. To soar or move upwards; to move into the sky:
  3. (rare) To extend or reach upwards.

Conjugation

Conjugation of climben (strong class 3 or weak in -ed)
infinitive (to) climben, climbe
present tense past tense
1st-person singular climbe clamb, climbed
2nd-person singular climbest clumbe, clamb, climbedest
3rd-person singular climbeth clamb, climbed
subjunctive singular climbe clumbe1, climbed1
imperative singular —
plural2 climben, climbe clumben, clumbe, climbeden, climbede
imperative plural climbeth, climbe —
participles climbynge, climbende clumben, clumbe, climbed, yclumben, yclumbe

1 Replaced by the indicative in later Middle English.
2 Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Derived terms

Descendants

  • English: climb
  • Scots: clim, clym

References

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