smerten

Danish

Noun

smerten

1. definite singular of smerte

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch *smertan, from Proto-Germanic *smertaną.

Verb

smerten

1. (intransitive) to hurt, to smart

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Alternative forms

• smarten

Descendants

• Dutch: smarten

Further reading

• Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “smarten (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page smarten

Middle English

Alternative forms

• smart, smarten, smeorten, smerte

Etymology

From Old English *smeortan, from Proto-West Germanic *smertan, from Proto-Germanic *smertaną.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsmɛrtən/

Verb

smerten

1. To smart, injure, cause pain
2. To smart, hurt, be injured
3. To suffer (the consequences)

Usage notes

Weak forms of this verb are attested, but are late and rare.

Conjugation

Conjugation of smerten (strong class 3)

infinitive	(to) smerten, smerte
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	smerte	smart
2nd-person singular	smertest	smorte, smart
3rd-person singular	smerteth	smart
subjunctive singular	smerte	smorte1
imperative singular		—
plural2	smerten, smerte	smorten, smorte
imperative plural	smerteth, smerte	—
participles	smertynge, smertende	smorten, smorte

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

Related terms

• smert
• smerte

Descendants

• English: smart
• Scots: smert

References

• “smerten, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-03-27.

Norwegian Bokmål

Noun

smerten m

1. definite singular of smerte