folwen

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old English folgian, from Proto-West Germanic *folgēn, from Proto-Germanic *fulgāną.

Forms such as filigh and folien are due to conflation with Old English fylġan.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈfɔlwən/, /ˈfɔliu̯ən/, /ˈfɔlɔu̯ən/
  • IPA(key): /ˈfilɔu̯/, /ˈfil(i)x/, /ˈfilɔx/, /ˈfɛl-/ (Essex, Northern, Northeast Midland)
  • IPA(key): /ˈvɔli.ən/ (early Southern)

Verb

folwen (third-person singular simple present folweth, present participle folwende, folwynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle folwed)

  1. (ambitransitive) To come after or succeed:
    1. To follow; to succeed spatially.
    2. To be subsequent; to succeed temporally.
  2. (transitive) To adhere or be attached to:
    1. To move in the path of.
    2. To mimic or emulate: to take as an example.
    3. To attend upon; to serve or work for.
  3. (transitive) To be subject or subordinate to:
    1. To comply or adhere to a directive (or rarely, opinion)
    2. To be connected to or depend upon.
    3. To correspond to or be a consequence of.
  4. (ambitransitive) To continue or persist.
  5. (transitive) To look or search for; to try to find.
  6. (transitive) To harass (usually legally or of a disease)
  7. (transitive, rare) To get or achieve.

Conjugation

Conjugation of folwen (weak in -ed)
infinitive (to) folwen, folwe
present tense past tense
1st-person singular folwe folwed
2nd-person singular folwest folwedest
3rd-person singular folweth folwed
subjunctive singular folwe
imperative singular —
plural1 folwen, folwe folweden, folwede
imperative plural folweth, folwe —
participles folwynge, folwende folwed, yfolwed

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

  • folwere

Descendants

  • English: follow
  • Middle Scots: folȝe, folow, falow

References

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