erian

See also: -erian and eriän

Old English

Ġeered æcer on Angelcynne

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *arjaną, whence also Old High German erran, Old Norse erja. Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂erh₃- (“to plough”). Non-Germanic cognates include Latin arō, Ancient Greek ἀρόω (aróō), Old Irish airid, Old Church Slavonic орати (orati), Albanian arë (“arable land, soil”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈer.jɑn/, [ˈerˠ.jɑn]

Verb

erian

1. to plough
   • early 11th century, anonymous gloss of Ælfric's Latin Colloquy (c. 995)

     Ǣlċe dæġe iċ sċeal erian fulne æcer oþþe mā.

     Every day I have to plow a full acre or more.

Conjugation

Conjugation of erian (weak class 1)

infinitive	erian	erienne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	erie	erede
second person singular	erast	eredest
third person singular	eraþ	erede
plural	eriaþ	eredon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	erie	erede
plural	erien	ereden
imperative
singular	era
plural	eriaþ
participle	present	past
	eriende	(ġe)ered, (ġe)erod

Descendants

• Middle English: eren, eeren, ere, erie, erye, eyr, herie, herye, heryȝen, ærien, erien (Early Middle English)
  • English: ear (archaic)
  • Scots: ear