herberwen

Middle English

FWOTD – 25 July 2025

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old English herebeorgian. By surface analysis, herberwe +‎ -en (infinitival suffix).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈhɛrˌbɛrwən/, /ˈhɛrˌbɛrxən/, /ˈhɛrˌbɛrɔu̯ən/, /ˈhɛrˌbɛriu̯ən/, /ˈhar-/
  • (with reduction) IPA(key): /ˈhɛrb(ə)rən/, /ˈharb(ə)rən/

Verb

herberwen

  1. to accommodate or lodge; to have as a guest
    Synonym: housen
    1. to provide shelter or refuge
      • c. 1395, John Wycliffe, John Purvey [et al.], transl., Bible (Wycliffite Bible (later version), MS Lich 10.)‎[1], published c. 1410, Matheu 25:35, page 14r, column 1; republished as Wycliffe's translation of the New Testament, Lichfield: Bill Endres, 2010:
        foꝛ I hungride .· ⁊ ȝe ȝauen me to ete / and I þirſtide .· and ȝe ȝauen me to dꝛynke / I was herboꝛles .· ⁊ ȝe herboꝛiden me []
        Because I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink; I was homeless, and you sheltered me []
    2. to give out accommodations (to someone)
  2. to house; to permanently accommodate
  3. to dwell or stay; to make accommodation
    Synonym: housen
  4. to shelter or store (an animal or thing)
    Synonym: housen
  5. (hunting, rare) to drive to a lair

Conjugation

Conjugation of herberwen (weak in -ed)
infinitive (to) herberwen, herberwe
present tense past tense
1st-person singular herberwe herberwed
2nd-person singular herberwest herberwedest
3rd-person singular herberweth herberwed
subjunctive singular herberwe
imperative singular
plural1 herberwen, herberwe herberweden, herberwede
imperative plural herberweth, herberwe
participles herberwynge, herberwende herberwed, yherberwed

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

Descendants

  • English: harbor / harbour
  • Scots: hairbor, hairbour

References