clawen

Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old English clawan, clāwan, *clēn, clawian, from Proto-Germanic *klawjaną; equivalent to clawe +‎ -en (infinitival suffix).

Alternative forms

• clawy, clawe, clowe, clawyn, cleen

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈklau̯ən/, /ˈklɔu̯ən/, /ˈkleːn/

Verb

clawen

1. To scratch at with the claws; to claw or make lacerations.
2. To scratch gently (as to remove pain or aching).
3. (rare) To grab onto; to make a grip on something.
4. (rare) To flatter; to butter up.
5. (rare) To wipe or remove dirt by abrasion.

Conjugation

Conjugation of clawen (weak in -ed or strong class 7)

infinitive	(to) clawen, clawe
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	clawe	clawed, clew
2nd-person singular	clawest	clawedest, clewe, clew
3rd-person singular	claweth	clawed, clew
subjunctive singular	clawe	clawed1, clewe1
imperative singular		—
plural2	clawen, clawe	claweden, clawede, clewen, clewe
imperative plural	claweth, clawe	—
participles	clawynge, clawende	clawed, clawen, clawe, yclawed, yclawen

¹ Replaced by the indicative in later Middle English.
² Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Descendants

• English: claw
• Scots: claw

References

• “clauen, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-11-12.

Etymology 2

From clawe +‎ -en (plural suffix).

Noun

clawen

1. plural of clawe