creopan

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *kreupaną. Cognate with Old Frisian kriāpa, Old Saxon kriopan, Old High German kriofan, Old Norse krjúpa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkre͜oː.pɑn/

Verb

crēopan

1. to crawl
2. to creep
   • late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans

     ...for þon hit is nǣdrena ġecynd þæt heora mǣġen ⁊ hiera fēþe bið on heora ribbum swā ōþerra crēopendra wyrma bið on heora fōtum.

     ...for it is the class of snakes whose movement is on their ribs, just as the motion of other creeping reptiles is with their feet.

Conjugation

Conjugation of crēopan (strong class 2)

infinitive	crēopan	crēopenne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	crēope	crēap
second person singular	crīepst	crupe
third person singular	crīepþ	crēap
plural	crēopaþ	crupon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	crēope	crupe
plural	crēopen	crupen
imperative
singular	crēop
plural	crēopaþ
participle	present	past
	crēopende	(ġe)cropen

Derived terms

• becrēopan
• þurhcrēopan

Descendants

• Middle English: crepen
  • Scots: crepe, creip
  • English: creep