fraynen

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Middle English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Inherited from Old English fræġnian, variant of freġnan, friġnan (to inquire, ask), from Proto-West Germanic *fregnan, from Proto-Germanic *frehnaną; reinforced by Old Norse fregna.

Verb

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fraynen (third-person singular simple present frayneth, present participle fraynende, fraynynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle frayned)

  1. To ask or inquire; to make an inquiry:
    1. To ask or make a request (for something).
      • fifteenth century, unknown author, The prophecies of Thomas the Rhymer:
        I frained fast what was his name, Where that he came, from what country.
    2. To ask or direct a question at someone:
      • c. 1370-90, William Langland, Piers Plowman, section I:
        Þanne I frained hir faire · for hym þat hir made. or Then I frayned at Faith what all that fare meant and who should joust in Jerusalem.
        (please add an English translation of this quotation)
      • c. 1390, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales:
        She fraineth and she prayeth pitously To every Jew that dwelt in thilke place To tell her if her child went ought forby.
        (please add an English translation of this quotation)
      • 15th c., “Annunciacio [Annunciation]”, in Wakefield Mystery Plays; Re-edited in George England, Alfred W. Pollard, editors, The Towneley Plays (Early English Text Society Extra Series; LXXI), London: [] Oxford University Press, 1897, →OCLC, page 91, lines 183–187:
        [Joseph:] Bot certys, mary, I rew full sore / It standys so with the[e] now. / Bot of a thyng frayn the[e] I shall / who owe this child thou gose with all? / Maria. Syr, ye, and god of heuen.
        Joseph: But Mary, I very much regret that circumstances are as they are with you. But one thing I will ask you: Who's child is this that you are pregnant with? / Mary: You, sir, and God of heaven.
    3. To ask or put forward (a question).
  2. To look or search for something.
  3. To acquire knowledge through asking.

Conjugation

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • English: frain
  • Scots: frain, frane, frayn, frayne

References

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