swerven

Middle English

Alternative forms

• swerve, swarven

Etymology

From Old English sweorfan, from Proto-Germanic *swerbaną; a cognate of Middle Low German swerven, Middle Dutch swerven, and Middle High German swerben.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈswɛrvən/
• (Late Middle English) IPA^(key): /ˈswarvən/
• Rhymes: -ɛrvən

Verb

swerven

1. To leave (from one's view); to rotate away from.
2. To move or go unsteadily, unpredictably or erratically.
3. To bounce off; to avoid (hitting someone)
4. To repudiate or renounce; to end association with.
5. (rare, of emotion) To stop being present or affecting one.

Conjugation

Conjugation of swerven (weak in -ed or strong class 3)

infinitive	(to) swerven, swerve
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	swerve	swerved, swarf
2nd-person singular	swervest	swervedest, sworve, swarf
3rd-person singular	swerveth	swerved, swarf
subjunctive singular	swerve	swerved1, sworve1
imperative singular		—
plural2	swerven, swerve	swerveden, swervede, sworven, sworve
imperative plural	swerveth, swerve	—
participles	swervynge, swervende	swerved, sworven, sworve

¹ Replaced by the indicative in later Middle English.
² Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Related terms

• *swerf, *swarf

Descendants

• English: swerve, swarve
• Scots: swerve, swarve, swerfe, swarfe

References

• “swerven, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-12-5.