dern

English

Alternative forms

• dearn, darn

Etymology 1

(deprecated template usage) From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle English dern, derne, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old English dyrne, dierne (“secret”), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Proto-Germanic *darniją (“secret”), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- (“to hold, hold tight, support”). See below.

Noun

dern (plural derns)

1. (obsolete) A secret; secrecy.
2. (obsolete) A secret place; hiding.
3. (obsolete) An obscure language.
4. (obsolete) Darkness; obscurity.

Derived terms

• in dern

Etymology 2

(deprecated template usage) From Middle English dern, derne, from Old English dyrne, dierne (“hidden, secret, retired, obscure, remote, eluding detection, concealed, deceitful, evil, magical”), from Proto-Germanic *darnijaz (“hidden, masked”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- (“to hold, hold tight, support”). Cognate with Old Frisian dern, dren (“hidden, secret”), Old Saxon derni (“hidden, secret”), Old High German tarni (“hidden”).

Adjective

dern (comparative more dern, superlative most dern)

1. (obsolete) Hidden; secret; private.
   • (Can we date this quote?), Dr. H. More, Immortal, of the Soul

     Now with their backs to the den's mouth they sit, / Yet shoulder not all light from the dern pit.

   • (Can we date this quote?), J. R. Drake, Culprit Fay

     Through dreary beds of tangled fern, / Through groves of nightshade dark and dern.

Etymology 3

(deprecated template usage) From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle English dernen, dærnen, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old English dyrnan, diernan (“to keep secret, conceal, hide, restrain, repress, hide oneself”), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Proto-Germanic *darnijaną (“to conceal”), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- (“to hold, hold tight, support”). Cognate with Old Saxon dernian (“to conceal”), German tarnen (“to camougflage, disguise”). See also darn, tarnish.

Verb

dern (third-person singular simple present derns, present participle derning, simple past and past participle derned)

1. (transitive, obsolete) To hide; secrete, as in a hole.
   • (Can we date this quote by H. Miller and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     He at length escaped them by derning himself in a fox-earth.

2. (intransitive, obsolete) To hide oneself; skulk.
   • (Can we date this quote by T. Hudson and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     But look how soon they heard of Holoferne / Their courage quail'd, and they began to derne.

Etymology 4

Uncertain.

Noun

dern (plural derns)

1. (UK) A gatepost or doorpost.
   • (Can we date this quote?), Charles Kingsley, Westward Ho!, Ch. XIV, How Salvation Yeo Slew the King of the Gubbings

     So I just put my eye between the wall and the dern of the gate, and I saw him come up to the back door […]

Anagrams

• NERD, nerd, rend

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Old Irish

Verb

·dern

1. first-person singular present subjunctive prototonic ro-form of do·gní