tacn

• tācen, tācon

From Proto-West Germanic *taikn.

Cognate with Old Frisian tēken, Old Saxon tēkan, Old High German zeihhan, Old Norse teikn, Gothic 𐍄𐌰𐌹𐌺𐌽𐍃 (taikns).

• IPA^(key): /tɑːkn/

tācn n

1. sign
2. token, credential
3. sign of the Zodiac
   • c. 994, Ælfric, On the Year

     Ælce mōnað hēo yrnð under ān þǣra tacna. Ān þǣra tacna ys ġehāten aries, þæt is ramm; oðer taurus, þæt is fearr; ðridda gemini, þæt synd ġetwisan; fēorða cancer, þæt is crabba; fīfta leo; syxta virgo, þæt is mǣden; seofoða libra, þæt is pund orde wǣġe; eahtoðe scorpius, þæt is þrōwend; nigoða is sagittarius, þæt is sċytta; teoða ys capricornus, þæt is buccan horn, oððe bucca; endlyfta is aquarius, þæt is wæter-ġyte, oððe þe þe wæter ġyt; twelfte is pisces, þæt synd fixas.

     Each month runs under one of the signs [of the Zodiac]. The first of the signs is called aries, that is "ram"; the second is taurus, that is "bull"; the third is gemini, that is "twins"; the fourth is cancer, that is "crab"; the fifth is lion; the sixth is virgo, that is "virgin"; the seventh is libra, that is "pound" or "scales"; eighth is scorpious, that is "scorpion"; ninth is sagittarius, that is "shooter"; tenth is capricornus, that is "he-goat's horn" or "he-goat"; eleventh is aquarius, that is "pouring water" or "one that pours water"; twelfth is pisces, that is "fishes."

4. a distinguishing mark
5. a sign to attract attention, signal
6. a sign of anything future, a prognostic
7. an action that conveys a meaning
8. an indication, a mark which shows condition or state
9. a sign which shews the truth or reality of anything, proof, demonstration, evidence
10. a supernatural sign, miracle
11. a signal event, remarkable circumstance

Strong a-stem:

• wundortācn

• Middle English: token, tokene, tokin, tokine, tokon, tokne, tocne, toquen, taken, takein, takin, takine (Northern), taken, takein, takin, takine, tacn, tacne, tacnæ, tockne (Early Middle English)
  • English: token
  • Scots: taiken
• → Old Norse: tákn
  • Icelandic: tákn