whelpen

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old English hwelpian; equivalent to whelp +‎ -en (infinitival suffix).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈhwɛlpən/
  • (dialectal) IPA(key): /ˈwɛlpən/, /ˈxwɛlpən/

Verb

whelpen

  1. (referring to animals) To give birth; to bear a litter or whelp.

Conjugation

Conjugation of whelpen (weak in -ed)
infinitive (to) whelpen, whelpe
present tense past tense
1st-person singular whelpe whelped
2nd-person singular whelpest whelpedest
3rd-person singular whelpeth whelped
subjunctive singular whelpe
imperative singular
plural1 whelpen, whelpe whelpeden, whelpede
imperative plural whelpeth, whelpe
participles whelpynge, whelpende whelped, ywhelped

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

Descendants

  • English: whelp

References