frouncen

Middle English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French froncer, froncir, from Old French froncir, from fronce; by surface analysis, frounce +‎ -en (infinitival suffix).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfruːnsən/

Verb

frouncen (third-person singular simple present frounceth, present participle frouncende, frouncynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle frounced)

1. To crease or wrinkle.
2. To frown or sneer.
3. (rare) To squeak or squeal.

Conjugation

Conjugation of frouncen (weak in -ed)

infinitive	(to) frouncen, frounce
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	frounce	frounced
2nd-person singular	frouncest	frouncedest
3rd-person singular	frounceth	frounced
subjunctive singular	frounce
imperative singular		—
plural1	frouncen, frounce	frounceden, frouncede
imperative plural	frounceth, frounce	—
participles	frouncynge, frouncende	frounced, yfrounced

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

Descendants

• English: frounce

References

• “frǒuncen, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.