hreosan

From Proto-West Germanic *hreusan, from Proto-Germanic *hreusaną (“to fall down”). Cognate with Old High German riosan.

• IPA^(key): /ˈxre͜oː.sɑn/, [ˈr̥e͜oː.zɑn]

hrēosan

1. to fall
   • 10th century, The Wanderer:

     baþian brimfuglas, · brǣdan feþra,
     hrēosan hrīm ond snāw, · hagle ġemenġed.

     the sea-birds bathe, spread their feathers,
     frost and snow fall, mingled with hail.

2. to collapse
3. to rush
4. to fall down
   • Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church

     ...ðā ðā hǣðenan āhēowon þæt trēow mid ormǣtre blisse, þæt hit brastliende sāh tō ðām hālgan were, hetelīċe swīðe. Þā worhte hē onġēan ðām hrēosendum trēowe þǣs Hǣlendes rōde tācn, and hit ðǣrrihte ætstōd, wende ðā onġēan, and hrēas underbæc, and fornēan offēoll ðā ðe hit ǣr forcurfon.

     Then the heathens cut down the tree with great joy, so that, rustling, it fell towards the holy man very violently. Then he made the sign of the Savior's cross to the falling tree, and it immediately stood still, turned around, and fell down backwards, and almost fell upon those who had previously cut it.

• hreorig (“ruinous”)