delfan

Middle English

Verb

delfan

1. (Early Middle English) Alternative form of delven

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Old English

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *delban, from Proto-Germanic *delbaną. Cognate with Old Frisian delva, Old Saxon *delƀan, Old Dutch *delvan, and Old High German *telban.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdel.fɑn/, [ˈdeɫ.vɑn]

Verb

delfan

1. to dig
2. to mine

Conjugation

Conjugation of delfan (strong class 3)

infinitive	delfan	delfenne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	delfe	dealf
second person singular	dilfst	dulfe
third person singular	dilfþ	dealf
plural	delfaþ	dulfon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	delfe	dulfe
plural	delfen	dulfen
imperative
singular	delf
plural	delfaþ
participle	present	past
	delfende	(ġe)dolfen

Derived terms

• ādelfan (“to excavate”)
• bedelfan (“to dig around, bury”)
• delfere (“digger”)
• delfing (“digging”)
• fordelfan (“to delve, dig”)
• þurhdelfan (“to dig through, pierce”)
• underdelfan (“to dig under, undermine, break through”)

Descendants

• Middle English: delven, dælfen, delfan, dealve, delve, dalven, delvyn
  • English: delve
  • Scots: delve, dell, del
  • Yola: del