drefan

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *drōbijan, from Proto-Germanic *drōbijaną (“to disturb”); equivalent to drōf +‎ -an. Cognate with Old Saxon drōƀjan, Old Dutch druoven (Dutch droeven), Old High German truoben (German trüben), Gothic 𐌳𐍂𐍉𐌱𐌾𐌰𐌽 (drōbjan).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdreː.fɑn/, [ˈdreː.vɑn]

Verb

drēfan

1. to stir up, agitate, move
2. to trouble, disturb, afflict
   • The Anglo-Saxon version of the story of Apollonius of Tyre

     Đā ġewearþ hit þæt þǣs mǣdenes fōstormōdor intō þām būre ēode, ⁊ ġesēah hī ðār sittan on miċelre ġedrefednesse, ⁊ hire cwæð tō, "Hwiġ eart þū hlæfdiġe swā ġedrefedes mōdes?"

     It happened that the girl's foster mother came into the room and saw her sitting full of confusion, and said to her "Lady, why are you so troubled of mind?."

Conjugation

Conjugation of drēfan (weak, class 1)

infinitive	drēfan	drēfenne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	drēfe	drēfde
second person singular	drēfest, drēfst	drēfdest
third person singular	drēfeþ, drēfþ	drēfde
plural	drēfaþ	drēfdon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	drēfe	drēfde
plural	drēfen	drēfden
imperative
singular	drēf
plural	drēfaþ
participle	present	past
	drēfende	(ġe)drēfed

Descendants

• Middle English: dreven
  • English: dreve