bireven

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old English berēafian, from Proto-West Germanic *biraubōn, from Proto-Germanic *biraubōną; equivalent to bi- +‎ reven.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /biˈrɛːvən/, /bɛˈrɛːvən/

Verb

bireven (third-person singular simple present bireveth, present participle birevynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative birefte, past participle bireft)

  1. To cause someone to lose something:
    1. To steal or rob; to secretly loot.
    2. To grab, grasp, or confiscate with force.
    3. To deprive of an emotion or feeling
  2. To murder; to unlawfully kill.

Conjugation

Conjugation of bireven (weak in -ed/-te)
infinitive (to) bireven, bireve
present tense past tense
1st-person singular bireve bireved, birefte
2nd-person singular birevest birevedest, bireftest
3rd-person singular bireveth bireved, birefte
subjunctive singular bireve
imperative singular —
plural1 bireven, bireve bireveden, birevede, bireften, birefte
imperative plural bireveth, bireve —
participles birevynge, birevende bireved, bireft

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

Descendants

  • English: bereave
  • Scots: bereve, bereif

References

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