delven

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch delven, from Old Dutch *delvan, from Proto-West Germanic *delban, from Proto-Germanic *delbaną.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈdɛlvə(n)/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: del‧ven
  • Rhymes: -ɛlvən

Verb

delven

  1. (transitive) to delve, dig, excavate

Conjugation

Conjugation of delven (strong class 3b)
infinitive delven
past singular dolf
past participle gedolven
infinitive delven
gerund delven n
present tense past tense
1st person singular delf dolf
2nd person sing. (jij) delft, delf2 dolf
2nd person sing. (u) delft dolf
2nd person sing. (gij) delft dolft
3rd person singular delft dolf
plural delven dolven
subjunctive sing.1 delve dolve
subjunctive plur.1 delven dolven
imperative sing. delf
imperative plur.1 delft
participles delvend gedolven
1) Archaic. 2) In case of inversion.
Conjugation of delven (weak)
infinitive delven
past singular delfde
past participle gedelfd
infinitive delven
gerund delven n
present tense past tense
1st person singular delf delfde
2nd person sing. (jij) delft, delf2 delfde
2nd person sing. (u) delft delfde
2nd person sing. (gij) delft delfde
3rd person singular delft delfde
plural delven delfden
subjunctive sing.1 delve delfde
subjunctive plur.1 delven delfden
imperative sing. delf
imperative plur.1 delft
participles delvend gedelfd
1) Archaic. 2) In case of inversion.

Derived terms

verbs

Anagrams

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch *delvan, from Proto-West Germanic *delban, from Proto-Germanic *delbaną.

Verb

delven

  1. to delve, to dig, to excavate (create by digging)
  2. to bury

Inflection

Conjugation of delven (strong class 3)
infinitive base form delven
genitive delvens
dative delvene
indicative subjunctive
present past present past
1st person singular delve dalf delve dolve
2nd person singular delfs, delves dolfs, dolves delfs, delves dolves
3rd person singular delft, delvet dalf delve dolve
1st person plural delven dolven delven dolven
2nd person plural delft, delvet dolft, dolvet delft, delvet dolvet
3rd person plural delven dolven delven dolven
imperative
singular delf, delve
plural delft, delvet
present past
participle delvende gedolven

Descendants

  • Dutch: delven
    • Afrikaans: delf, delwe
  • Limburgish: dèlve

Further reading

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old English delfan, from Proto-West Germanic *delban, from Proto-Germanic *delbaną.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈdɛlvən/

Verb

delven

  1. To dig or delve; to remove earth:
    1. To retrieve or access via digging.
    2. To furrow; to dig for an agricultural purpose.
      • 1381 June 12, John Ball, Sermon at Blackheath:
        Whan Adam dalf, and Eve span; / Wo was thanne a gentilman?
        When Adam delved and Eve spun; / Who was a nobleman then?
    3. To install or integrate; to dig in.
    4. To entomb; to dig a tomb or prepare a burial.
  2. (rare) To penetrate the depths of something.

Conjugation

Conjugation of delven (strong class 3 or weak in -ed)
infinitive (to) delven, delve
present tense past tense
1st-person singular delve dalf, delved
2nd-person singular delvest dolve, dalf, delvedest
3rd-person singular delveth dalf, delved
subjunctive singular delve dolve1, delved1
imperative singular
plural2 delven, delve dolven, dolve, delveden, delvede
imperative plural delveth, delve
participles delvynge, delvende dolven, dolve, delved, ydolven, ydolve, ydelved

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

Descendants

References