eldertongue

Old English · verb

onwacan

Part of speech
verb
Verb class
strong class VI
IPA
/onˈwɑ.kɑn/
Syllables
on · ˈwɑ · kɑn (3 syllables)
Modern English
awake

Meaning

  1. to awake, wake up

    ⁊ ēac þætte þrīe wulfas on ānre niht brōhton ānes dēades monnes līchoman binnan þā burg, ⁊ hiene þær siþþan tōbrugdon, oþ þā men onwōcan, ⁊ ūt urnon, ⁊ hīe siþþan aweġ flugon.

    And on one night, three wolves brought the body of a dead man into the city, and then tore it to pieces, until the people awoke and ran out, and they ran away.

    late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans
  2. to arise, come forth, be born

Conjugation

Conjugation of onwacan
PresentPast
Indicative
1st singular onwaceonwōc
2nd singular onwæcstonwōce
3rd singular onwæcþonwōc
Plural onwacaþonwōcon
Subjunctive
Singular onwaceonwōce
Plural onwacenonwōcen
Non-finite forms of onwacan
Form
Infinitive onwacan
Inflected infinitive onwacenne
Imperative singular onwac
Imperative plural onwacaþ
Present participle onwacende
Past participle onwæcenonwacen

All forms (14)

Etymology

on- + wacan

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