cunnian

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *kunnēn.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkun.ni.ɑn/

Verb

cunnian

1. to experience, learn to know
   • 10th century, The Wanderer:

     oþþe mec frēondlēasne · frēfran wolde,
     wēman mid wynnum. · Wāt sē þe cunnað,
     hū slīþen bið · sorg tō ġefēran,
     þām þe him lȳt hafað · lēofra ġeholena.

     or friendless me would soothe,
     allure with glees. Knows the one who undergoes,
     how tough is sorrow as a companion,
     to whom little has dear confidants for himself.

2. to explore, find out, investigate
3. to try, test
   • late 10th century, Ælfric, "Chair of Saint Peter"

     ...and hē lēop sona cunniġende his feðes hwæðer hē cūðe gān.

     and he leapt up immediately, trying his power of motion, whether he could walk.

Conjugation

Conjugation of cunnian (weak class 2)

infinitive	cunnian	cunnienne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	cunniġe	cunnode
second person singular	cunnast	cunnodest
third person singular	cunnaþ	cunnode
plural	cunniaþ	cunnodon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	cunniġe	cunnode
plural	cunniġen	cunnoden
imperative
singular	cunna
plural	cunniaþ
participle	present	past
	cunniende	(ġe)cunnod

Descendants

• English: cun