wæflian

Old English

Etymology

Origin obscure, but likely from Proto-West Germanic *wablōn, a dissimilated variant of *bablōn (“to babble”), from Proto-Germanic *bablōną, a variant of *babalōną. See babble. For change of b to w, compare Proto-Germanic *baswǭ and *waswǭ (“aunt”); Middle High German behaben and wehaben (“to behave”), a phenomenon of known occurrence in Proto-West Germanic descendants.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈwæf.li.ɑn/, [ˈwæv.li.ɑn]

Verb

wæflian

  1. to talk or speak foolishly; to waffle

Conjugation

Conjugation of wæflian (weak, class 2)
infinitive wæflian wæflienne
indicative mood present tense past tense
first person singular wæfliġe wæflode
second person singular wæflast wæflodest
third person singular wæflaþ wæflode
plural wæfliaþ wæflodon
subjunctive present tense past tense
singular wæfliġe wæflode
plural wæfliġen wæfloden
imperative
singular wæfla
plural wæfliaþ
participle present past
wæfliende (ġe)wæflod
  • *bæblian
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