seien

Catalan

Verb

seien

1. Third-person plural imperfect indicative form of seure.

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German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈzaɪ̯ən/

Verb

seien

1. First-person plural subjunctive I of sein.
2. Third-person plural subjunctive I of sein.
   • 1788: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Egmont

     "Im Namen des Königs, und kraft besonderer von Seiner Majestät uns übertragenen Gewalt, alle seine Unterthanen, wes Standes sie seien, zugleich die Ritter des goldnen Vließes zu richten, erkennen wir—"

     "In the King's name, and invested by his Majesty with authority to judge all his subjects of whatever rank [they be], not excepting the knights of the Golden Fleece, we declare—"

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Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old English secgan (“say”)

Alternative forms

• saien
• sain, saine, sān
• sæin
• sæcgen, sæcgene, sæcgæn, sæcgan
• sægen, sægenne, sæggen, sæggene
• secgan, secgæn, secgon
• secgen, secgene, secgenne, secȝende, sæcgenne
• segen, seggen, seggon
• seggane
• segcean
• seȝȝen, seǧǧen
• sein, seine
• seigen
• seiȝen, seiȝn
• seuggen
• seyen
• sien
• sigen
• sucgen
• sugen, suggen
• ziggen, ziggene

Verb

seien

1. To say, that is
   1. To declare, to state in speech (and, by extension, in writing)
   2. To answer, to reply
   3. To call, to name or define
   4. To describe; to narrate
   5. To mean, to intend to say
   6. To teach or direct
   7. (ecclesiastical) To recite, to sing
   8. (law) To affirm, to assert
   9. (law) To plead
2. (interjection) Say!

Derived terms

• durren seien
• man seieth
• nombren and seien
• seien afore or biforen
• seien alas
• seien and holden
• seien and singen
• seien as to berken
• seien aye
• seien ayen
• seien bodeword
• seien chek or chek-mat
• seien despit
• seien lofword of
• seien nai
• seien of, on, unto, upon
• seien ouen talent
• seien saue
• seien soth
• to seien
• withseien

Descendants

• English: say

Etymology 2

From Old English sǣgan

Alternative forms

• seȝen

Verb

seien

1. To fall down, to sink
2. To go to
3. (of time) To pass, to go by

Derived terms

• seien aslepe
• seien doun
• seien of lif

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Norwegian

Noun

seien m

1. singular definite of sei