techen

Middle English

Etymology

From Old English tǣċan (“to show, declare, demonstrate; teach, instruct, train; assign, prescribe, direct; warn; persuade”), from Proto-West Germanic *taikijan, from Proto-Germanic *taikijaną (“to show”), from Proto-Indo-European *deyḱ- (“to show”).

Cognate with Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐍄𐌴𐌹𐌷𐌰𐌽 (gateihan, “to announce, declare, tell”), Latin dīcō (“speak, say, tell”), Ancient Greek δείκνυμι (deíknumi, “show, point out, explain, teach”). More at token.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtɛːt͡ʃən/

Verb

techen (third-person singular simple present techeth, present participle techynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative taughte, past participle ytaught)

1. to teach
   • 1407, The Testimony of William Thorpe, pages 40–41:

     And I seide, “Ser, in his tyme maister Ioon Wiclef was holden of ful many men the grettis clerk that thei knewen lyuynge vpon erthe. And therwith he was named, as I gesse worthili, a passing reuli man and an innocent in al his lyuynge. And herfore grete men of kunnynge and other also drowen myche to him, and comownede ofte with him. And thei sauouriden so his loore that thei wroten it bisili and enforsiden hem to rulen hem theraftir… Maister Ion Aston taughte and wroot acordingli and ful bisili, where and whanne and to whom he myghte, and he vsid it himsilf, I gesse, right perfyghtli vnto his lyues eende. Also Filip of Repintoun whilis he was a chanoun of Leycetre, Nycol Herforde, dane Geffrey of Pikeringe, monke of Biland and a maistir dyuynyte, and Ioon Purueye, and manye other whiche weren holden rightwise men and prudent, taughten and wroten bisili this forseide lore of Wiclef, and conformeden hem therto. And with alle these men I was ofte homli and I comownede with hem long tyme and fele, and so bifore alle othir men I chees wilfulli to be enformed bi hem and of hem, and speciali of Wiclef himsilf, as of the moost vertuous and goodlich wise man that I herde of owhere either knew. And herfore of Wicleef speciali and of these men I toke the lore whiche I haue taughte and purpose to lyue aftir, if God wole, to my lyues ende.”

     And I said, "Sir, in his time master John Wycliffe was held by very many men the greatest clerk that they knew living upon earth. And therewith he was named, as I guess worthily, a passing ruly man and an innocent in all his living. And herefore great men of cunning and others also drawn much to him, and communed oft with him. And they savored so his lore that they wrote it busily and enforced them to rule them thereafter… Master John Aston taught and wrote accordingly and very busily, where and when and to whom he might, and he used it himself, I guess, right perfectly unto his life's end. Also Filip of Repintown while he was a canon of Leicester, Nicholas Hereford, dan Geffrey of Pickering, monk of Byland and a master divinity, and John Purvey, and many others which were held righteous men and prudent, taught and wrote busily this forsaid lore of Wycliffe, and conformed them thereto. And with all these men I was oft homely and I communed with them many a long time, and so before all other men I choose willfully to be informed by them and of them, and specially of Wycliffe himself, as of the most virtuous and goodly wise man that I heard of anywhere either knew. And herefore of Wycliffe specially and of these men I took the lore which I have taught and purpose to live after, if God will, to my life's end.

Usage notes

• Regular forms are sometimes found in Northern Middle English, as in dialectal Modern English.

Conjugation

Conjugation of techen (weak irregular)

infinitive	(to) techen, teche
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	teche	taughte
2nd-person singular	techest	taughtest
3rd-person singular	techeth	taughte
subjunctive singular	teche
imperative singular		—
plural1	techen, teche	taughten, taughte
imperative plural	techeth, teche	—
participles	techynge, techende	taught, ytaught

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

Descendants

• English: teach
• Scots: teich
• Yola: teach

References

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

Spanish

Verb

techen

1. inflection of techar:
   1. third-person plural present subjunctive
   2. third-person plural imperative