swiven

Middle English

Alternative forms

• swyven, swyuen, swiwen, swywen, swyfen

Etymology

From Old English swīfan, from Proto-Germanic *swībaną.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈswiːvən/

Verb

swīven (third-person singular simple present swīveth, present participle swīvende, swīvynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle swīved)

1. to have sexual intercourse; copulate.
   • c. 1390, Geoffrey Chaucer, Canterbury Tales: Manciple's Prologue and Tale:

     On thy bed thy wif I sey hym swyue […]

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Descendants

• English: swive

References

• Middle English Dictionary, [1]