swopen

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old English swāpan, from Proto-West Germanic *swaipan, from Proto-Germanic *swaipaną.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈswɔːpən/, /ˈswoːpən/

Verb

swopen (third-person singular simple present swopeth, present participle swopynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative swep, past participle swopen)

  1. To sweep debris or litter away.
  2. (religion) To cleanse or purge evil influences.

Conjugation

Conjugation of swopen (strong class 7 or weak in -ed)
infinitive (to) swopen, swope
present tense past tense
1st-person singular swope swep, swoped
2nd-person singular swopest swepe1, swopedest
3rd-person singular swopeth swep, swoped
subjunctive singular swope swepe2, swoped2
imperative singular
plural3 swopen, swope swepen, swepe, swopeden, swopede
imperative plural swopeth, swope
participles swopynge, swopende swopen, swope, swoped, yswopen, yswope

1 Later replaced by the 1st-/3rd-person singular or swepest.
2 Later replaced by the indicative.
3 Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Descendants

  • English: swoop
  • Scots: swap, swape, swaip

References