thryven

Middle English

Alternative forms

• thriven, þriven, þrifenn, þryve, þryve, thryfe, thryve, þryven, þryjven

Etymology

From Old Norse þrífa, from Proto-Germanic *þrībaną. Cognates include Old Swedish þrīvas.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈθriːvən/

Verb

thryven

1. To acquire prosperity or fortune; to succeed.
2. To be well or fit; to thrive and be active.
3. To acquire a beneficial attribute or characteristic.
4. To sprout, age or become bigger; to experience growth or development.
5. (rare) To intensify; to increase in magnitude.

Usage notes

Weak forms occasionally appear in this verb, but it generally remains strong.

Conjugation

Conjugation of thryven (strong class 1)

infinitive	(to) thryven, thryve
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	thryve	throf
2nd-person singular	thryvest	throve, thryve, threve, throf
3rd-person singular	thryveth	throf
subjunctive singular	thryve	throve1, thryve1, threve1
imperative singular		—
plural2	thryven, thryve	throven, throve, thryven, thryve, threven, threve
imperative plural	thryveth, thryve	—
participles	thryvynge, thryvende	thryven, thryve, threven, threve

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

Descendants

• English: thrive
• Scots: thrive
• Yola: threeve

References

• “thrīven, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-06-06.