teann

See also: téann

Irish

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /tʲaun̪ˠ/
• (Galway) IPA^(key): /tʲɑːn̪ˠ/
• (Mayo, Ulster) IPA^(key): /tʲan̪ˠ/

Etymology 1

From Middle Irish tenn, from Old Irish tend, probably from or related to Proto-Celtic *tanawyos, from Proto-Indo-European *ten- (“to stretch, extend”), see also Welsh tynnu (“to pull, stretch, draw”).

Adjective

teann (genitive singular masculine teann, genitive singular feminine teinne, plural teanna, comparative teinne)

1. tight, firm, stiff
2. strong, bold, stout, powerful

   teann téagartha ― strong and thickset

3. severe
4. hardy

Declension

Declension of teann

	Singular		Plural (m/f)
Positive	Masculine	Feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
Nominative	teann	theann	teanna; theanna²
Vocative	theann		teanna
Genitive		teinne	teanna	teann
Dative	teann; theann¹	theann	teanna; theanna²
Comparative	níos teinne
Superlative	is teinne

¹ When the preceding noun is lenited and governed by the definite article.
² When the preceding noun ends in a slender consonant.

• Archaic vocative/genitive singular masculine and dative singular feminine: teinn

Etymology 2

From Middle Irish tenn, from Old Irish tend.

Noun

teann m (genitive singular teanna or teinne, nominative plural teanna or teannta)

1. oppression, violence
2. strain, distress, effort
3. strength

Declension

Declension of teann

Third declension

Bare forms: Case Singular Plural Nominative teann teanna Vocative a theann a theanna Genitive teanna teann Dative teann teanna

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Plural Nominative an teann na teanna Genitive an teanna na dteann Dative leis an teann don teann leis na teanna

Alternative inflection:

Declension of teann

Second declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative teann teannta Vocative a theann a theannta Genitive teinne teannta Dative teann teannta

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an teann na teannta Genitive an teinne na dteannta Dative leis an teann don teann leis na teannta

Derived terms

• i dteann (“at the height of”)
• le teann (“by dint of, for the sake of”)

Etymology 3

From Middle Irish tendaid. See Etymology 1 above.

Verb

teann (present analytic teannann, future analytic teannfaidh, verbal noun teannadh, past participle teannta)

1. to press, urge
2. to tighten, strain, strengthen
3. to staunch
4. to embrace

Conjugation

conjugation of teann (first conjugation – A)

		singular			plural			relative	autonomous
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative	present	teannaim	teannann tú; teannair†	teannann sé, sí	teannaimid	teannann sibh	teannann siad; teannaid†	a theannann; a theannas / a dteannann*	teanntar
	past	theann mé; theannas	theann tú; theannais	theann sé, sí	theannamar; theann muid	theann sibh; theannabhair	theann siad; theannadar	a theann / ar theann*	teannadh
	past habitual	theannainn / dteannainn‡‡	theanntá / dteanntᇇ	theannadh sé, sí / dteannadh sé, s퇇	theannaimis; theannadh muid / dteannaimis‡‡; dteannadh muid‡‡	theannadh sibh / dteannadh sibh‡‡	theannaidís; theannadh siad / dteannaidís‡‡; dteannadh siad‡‡	a theannadh / a dteannadh*	theanntaí / dteannta퇇
future		teannfaidh mé; teannfad	teannfaidh tú; teannfair†	teannfaidh sé, sí	teannfaimid; teannfaidh muid	teannfaidh sibh	teannfaidh siad; teannfaid†	a theannfaidh; a theannfas / a dteannfaidh*	teannfar
conditional		theannfainn / dteannfainn‡‡	theannfá / dteannfᇇ	theannfadh sé, sí / dteannfadh sé, s퇇	theannfaimis; theannfadh muid / dteannfaimis‡‡; dteannfadh muid‡‡	theannfadh sibh / dteannfadh sibh‡‡	theannfaidís; theannfadh siad / dteannfaidís‡‡; dteannfadh siad‡‡	a theannfadh / a dteannfadh*	theannfaí / dteannfa퇇
subjunctive	present	go dteanna mé; go dteannad†	go dteanna tú; go dteannair†	go dteanna sé, sí	go dteannaimid; go dteanna muid	go dteanna sibh	go dteanna siad; go dteannaid†	—	go dteanntar
	past	dá dteannainn	dá dteanntá	dá dteannadh sé, sí	dá dteannaimis; dá dteannadh muid	dá dteannadh sibh	dá dteannaidís; dá dteannadh siad	—	dá dteanntaí
imperative		teannaim	teann	teannadh sé, sí	teannaimis	teannaigí; teannaidh†	teannaidís	—	teanntar
verbal noun		teannadh
past participle		teannta

* indirect relative
† archaic or dialect form
‡‡ dependent form used with particles that trigger eclipsis

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
teann	theann	dteann
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “teann”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 726
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “teannaim”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 726
• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “teann”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “teann”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “teann”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Middle Irish tenn, from Old Irish tend, probably from or related to Proto-Celtic *tanawyos, from Proto-Indo-European *ten- (“to stretch, extend”), see also Welsh tynnu (“to pull, stretch, draw”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /t͡ʃʰaun̪ˠ/

Adjective

teann

1. tight, tense, taut, firm, fixed
2. severe, strict
3. near, close

Derived terms

• teannaich (“tighten”)

Mutation

Mutation of teann

radical	lenition
teann	theann

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Scottish Gaelic.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “1 tend ‘strong’”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language