sparplen

Middle English

Alternative forms

• sparble, sparcle, sparpellen, sparplyn, sparpoilen, sparpoylle, sparpule, sparpuilen, sparpyll, sparpylle, spartelyn, sperkelen, sperkylle, sperpillen, sperple

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman esparpeler (compare Old French esparpeillier), of unknown origin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsparp(ə)lən/, /ˈsparpilən/, /ˈsparpui̯lən/, /ˈspark(ə)lən/, /ˈspart(ə)lən/

Verb

sparplen (chiefly Late Middle English)

1. To scatter or disperse.
2. To cause to scatter; to spread out.
3. To cover (in something); to douse or sprinkle.
4. To vanish by dispersion.
5. (rare) To distribute; to hand out.

Conjugation

Conjugation of sparplen (weak in -ed)

infinitive	(to) sparplen, sparple
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	sparple	sparpled
2nd-person singular	sparplest	sparpledest
3rd-person singular	sparpleth	sparpled
subjunctive singular	sparple
imperative singular		—
plural1	sparplen, sparple	sparpleden, sparplede
imperative plural	sparpleth, sparple	—
participles	sparplynge, sparplende	sparpled

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

Descendants

• English: sparble

References

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