Old English · verb
metan
- Part of speech
- verb
- Verb class
- strong class V
- IPA
- /ˈme.tɑn/
- Syllables
- ˈme · tɑn (2 syllables)
- Modern English
- meteencounterwiþmeettōpaintwidraw
metan1 · verb
Senses
-
to measure
-
to compare
Lōca nu þæt þū ofergemet ne wilnige, nū ðū hī tōgædere metest. Woldest þū cunnan God swā swā Alipius?
Look to it now that thy desire be not beyond measure, now that thou comparest them together. Wouldst thou know God just as thou dost Alypius?
late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of Saint Augustine's Soliloquies -
to compare (to something = wiþ + accusative or tō + dative)
Hit nis nā tō metenne, þæt ġeendodlīċe wiþ þæt unġeendodlīċe.
It's not comparable, the finite with the infinite.
late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of Boethius' The Consolation of Philosophy
Conjugation
metan2 · verb
Senses
-
to meet, encounter
-
to find
Conjugation
metan3 · verb
Senses
-
to draw or paint
Conjugation
All forms (32)
Etymology
From Proto-West Germanic *metan, from Proto-Germanic *metaną.
From Proto-West Germanic *mōtijan, from Proto-Germanic *mōtijaną.
Uncertain. Perhaps from Proto-West Germanic *maitijan (“to sculpt”), from Proto-Germanic *maitijaną, a byform of Proto-Germanic *maitaną (“to cut”). Compare Old High German meizan (“to hew, cut, chisel”), Old Norse meita (“to cut”), Gothic (maitan, “to cut”). Doublet of mǣtan (“to appear in a dream”).
Descendants
mete, meet
Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · en.wiktionary.org/wiki/metan · CC BY-SA 4.0 licence · Attribution