clingen

Middle Dutch

Etymology 1

From Old Dutch *clingan, from Proto-Germanic *klinganą.

Verb

clingen

1. to sound, to resound

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Alternative forms

• clinken

Descendants

• Dutch: klingen, klinken
  • Afrikaans: klink
  • →⇒ French: clinquant
    • → English: clinquant
• Limburgish: klinge, klinke
• → Middle English: clinken
  • English: clink
  • Scots: clink

Etymology 2

From Old Dutch *clingan, from Proto-Germanic *klinganą.

Verb

clingen

1. to cling, to stick
2. to wither, to wilt

Inflection

Weak
Infinitive	clingen
3rd sg. past	—
3rd pl. past	—
Past participle	—
Infinitive	clingen
In genitive	clingens
In dative	clingene
Indicative	Present	Past
1st singular	clinge	—
2nd singular	clincs, clinges	—
3rd singular	clinct, clinget	—
1st plural	clingen	—
2nd plural	clinct, clinget	—
3rd plural	clingen	—
Subjunctive	Present	Past
1st singular	clinge	—
2nd singular	clincs, clinges	—
3rd singular	clinge	—
1st plural	clingen	—
2nd plural	clinct, clinget	—
3rd plural	clingen	—
Imperative	Present
Singular	clinc, clinge
Plural	clinct, clinget
	Present	Past
Participle	clingende	—

Alternative forms

• clinken

Further reading

• Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “clingen (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page I
• Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “clingen (II)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page II

Middle English

Alternative forms

• clyngyn, clyng, clynge, cling

Etymology

From Old English clingan, from Proto-Germanic *klinganą.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈklinɡən/

Verb

clingen

1. To solidify; to adhere as to form a mass.
2. To stick or cling; to be or make oneself adhesive onto something.
3. To reduce, to decrease in size or vitality; to shrivel or whither
4. To shrivel or reduce as to disappear or end.
5. To be scared or frightened; to be struck by terror.
6. (rare) To insert oneself into something.

Conjugation

Conjugation of clingen (strong class 3)

infinitive	(to) clingen, clinge
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	clinge	clang
2nd-person singular	clingest	clunge, clang
3rd-person singular	clingeth	clang
subjunctive singular	clinge	clunge1
imperative singular		—
plural2	clingen, clinge	clungen, clunge
imperative plural	clingeth, clinge	—
participles	clingynge, clingende	clungen, clunge, yclungen, yclunge

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

Related terms

• clyngyng

Descendants

• English: cling
• Scots: cling

References

• “clingen, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-07-09.