enhauncen

Middle English

Alternative forms

• anhansy, anhaunse, anhaunsen, enhance, enhansen, enhaunce, enhaunse, enhaunsyn, enhawnce, enhawse, in-hawnse

Etymology

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman enhauncer, from Vulgar Latin *inaltiāre. The second /n/ is an unetymological excrescence.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛnˈhau̯nsən/, /ɛnˈhansən/

Verb

enhauncen (third-person singular simple present enhaunceth, present participle enhauncende, enhauncynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle enhaunced)

1. To lift, heighten, or raise up:
   1. (rare) To install a column or other vertical object.
   2. (rare) To heighten ground or floor.
2. To better or improve someone; to make someone better:
   1. To commend or laud; to give applause.
   2. To grant a lofty position; to promote or honour.
   3. To cause to become (more) wealthy, successful, or powerful.
   4. To cheer up; to make happier or more assured.
   5. To provide with knowledge, wisdom or skill.
3. To feel (excessively) prideful or vain; to have excessive pride.
4. (rare) To instill pride or vanity; to make vain.
5. (rare) To make a (source of sound) louder or more prominent.
6. (rare) To become or cause to become more expensive.
7. (rare) To become wealthy or rich.
8. (rare, astrology) To be influential (of a planet).

Conjugation

Conjugation of enhauncen (weak in -ed)

infinitive	(to) enhauncen, enhaunce
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	enhaunce	enhaunced
2nd-person singular	enhauncest	enhauncedest
3rd-person singular	enhaunceth	enhaunced
subjunctive singular	enhaunce
imperative singular		—
plural1	enhauncen, enhaunce	enhaunceden, enhauncede
imperative plural	enhaunceth, enhaunce	—
participles	enhauncynge, enhauncende	enhaunced, yenhaunced

¹ Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Related terms

• enhaunsynge

Descendants

• English: enhance

References

• “enhauncen, -ien, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-08-12.