fostren

Middle English

Alternative forms

• ffostren, forstre, foster, fostre
• (early) fosstrenn, fostrien, fostrin

Etymology

Inherited from Old English fōstran, fōstrian, alteration of fēstran (after fōster), from Proto-West Germanic *fōstrijan, from Proto-Germanic *fōstrijaną; equivalent to foster +‎ -en (infinitival suffix).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfɔstrən/

Verb

fostren (third-person singular simple present fostreth, present participle fostrende, fostrynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle fostred)

1. To supply with food or nourishment; to feed.

   Synonym: feden

2. To nurture or educate; to bring up.

   Synonym: feden

3. To guard or cherish; to provide with protection or support.
4. To cultivate, encourage, or grow.

Conjugation

Conjugation of fostren (weak in -ed)

infinitive	(to) fostren, fostre
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	fostre	fostred
2nd-person singular	fostrest	fostredest
3rd-person singular	fostreth	fostred
subjunctive singular	fostre
imperative singular		—
plural1	fostren, fostre	fostreden, fostrede
imperative plural	fostreth, fostre	—
participles	fostrynge, fostrende	fostred, yfostred

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

Descendants

• English: foster
• Scots: foster

References

• “fostren, -i(e)n, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Swedish

Noun

fostren

1. definite plural of foster

Anagrams

• fonters, fortens, frosten