lecgan

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *lagjaną, a causative form of *ligjaną (Old English licgan), from Proto-Indo-European *legʰ-. Compare Old Frisian ledza, lega, leia, Old Saxon leggian, Old Dutch leggen, Old High German leggen, Old Norse leggja, Gothic 𐌻𐌰𐌲𐌾𐌰𐌽 (lagjan).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlej.jɑn/, [ˈled.d͡ʒɑn]

Verb

leċġan

1. to put or place

   Hē leġde his sċēatcodd on þone bēod. ― He placed his wallet on the table.

   • circa 995, Ælfric, Extracts on Grammar in English‎^[1]:

     Hwǣr leġdest þū mīne bōc?

     Where did you put my book?

   Synonyms: settan, dōn

2. to bury (a person)
   • Peterborough Chronicle, year 1075

     Ēadgȳþ forþfērde on Wintanċeastre, seofon nihtum ǣr Cristesmæssan, and se cyning hīe lēt bringan tō Westmynstre mid miċelum weorþsċipe, and leġde hīe wiþ Ēadweard cyning hiere hlāford.

     Edith passed away in Winchester, a week before Christmas, and the king had her brought to Westminster with great honor, and buried her by King Edward her lord.

3. to lay (an egg)

   Þæt ċicen leġde ǣġ ǣlċe dæġe. ― The chicken laid an egg every day.

Conjugation

Conjugation of leċġan (weak class 1)

infinitive	leċġan	leċġenne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	leċġe	leġde
second person singular	leġst	leġdest
third person singular	leġþ	leġde
plural	leċġaþ	leġdon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	leċġe	leġde
plural	leċġen	leġden
imperative
singular	leġe
plural	leċġaþ
participle	present	past
	leċġende	(ġe)leġed, (ġe)leġd

Derived terms

• beleċġan
• forleċġan
• geleċġan
• oferleċġan
• ofleċġan
• underleċġan
• wiþleċġan
• āleċġan

 

Related terms

• leġer
• liċġan
• lōg
• lōgian
• ġeliġer

 

Descendants

• Middle English: leggen, leyen, layen
  • Scots: lay
  • English: lay