brucan

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *brūkaną (“to enjoy, use”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰruHg- (“enjoy”). Cognate with Old Frisian brūka, Old High German brūhhan (German brauchen), Old Saxon brūkan, Middle Dutch bruken (Dutch gebruiken), Gothic 𐌱𐍂𐌿𐌺𐌾𐌰𐌽 (brukjan). The Indo-European root was also the source of Latin fruor (“enjoy”) and frūx (“fruit”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbruːkɑn/

Verb

brūcan

1. to enjoy, to make use of
2. to digest food

Conjugation

Conjugation of brūcan (strong class 2)

infinitive	brūcan	tō brūcanne
indicative	present	past
1st-person singular	brūce	brēac
2nd-person singular	brūcest	bruce
3rd-person singular	brūceþ, brȳcþ	brēac
plural	brūcaþ	brucon
subjunctive	present	past
singular	brūce	bruce
plural	brūcen	brucen
imperative
singular	brūc
plural	brūcaþ
participle	present	past
	brūcende	brocen

Derived terms

• ġebrūcan
• þurhbrūcan

Descendants

• Middle English: brouken
  • English: brook
  • Scots: brouk, breuk