sorwen

Middle English

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old English sorgian, *sergian, *seorgian, from Proto-West Germanic *sorgēn, from Proto-Germanic *surgāną; by surface analysis, sorwe (“sorrow, hardship”) +‎ -en (infinitival suffix).

Alternative forms

• sorew, sorewe, sorewen, sorowe, sorwe
• soregh (Early Middle English); serrȝhenn (Ormulum); sorew, sorowȝ (Late Middle English)
• sorwy, zorȝy (Kent); sarwin, soroȝe, soroo, sorou, sorow, soru, soruu (Northern)
• serewe, serwe, serwen, sorewi (Southwest Midland); seorhin, seoruwen, soreȝen, sorhin (early Southwest Midland)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɔrwən/, /ˈsɔriu̯ən/, /ˈsɔrɔu̯ən/
• IPA^(key): /ˈzɛriu̯ən/, /ˈzɛrwən/ (Southwest Midland)

Verb

sorwen (third-person singular simple present sorweth, present participle sorwende, sorwynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle sorwed)

1. (usually intransitive) To feel sad or upset:
   • c. 1180, Orͬm, “Secundum Lucam .I. [Luke 1:5] / Secundum Lucam .II. [Luke 1:18]”, in Orͬmulum (Bodleian MS. Junius 1), Bourne Abbey, Lincolnshire, folio 20, verso, column 1; republished at Oxford: Digital Bodleian, 2019 January 10:

     Forͬ fra þatt hıre make ıſſ dæd⹎ Ne kepeþþ ᵹho nan oþerr. Acc ſerrᵹͪeþþ aᵹᵹ forͬþı ꝥ ᵹho. Ne maᵹᫌ himͫ noƿƿhar fındenn

     Because whenever her mate is dead, she doesn't get another, but always grieves since she can't find him anywhere.

   1. To show grief or sorrow; to wail or lament.
   2. To grieve; to feel sympathy for [transitive or with for]
2. (usually intransitive) To be troubled or disturbed:
   1. To regret; to show contrition.
   2. To hurt; to be in or cause (usually bodily) pain.
3. (rare, transitive) To make upset; to sadden.

Conjugation

Conjugation of sorwen (weak in -ed)

infinitive	(to) sorwen, sorwe
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	sorwe	sorwed
2nd-person singular	sorwest	sorwedest
3rd-person singular	sorweth	sorwed
subjunctive singular	sorwe
imperative singular		—
plural1	sorwen, sorwe	sorweden, sorwede
imperative plural	sorweth, sorwe	—
participles	sorwynge, sorwende	sorwed

¹ Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Descendants

• English: sorrow
• Middle Scots: sorrow

References

• “sorwen, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Etymology 2

Noun

sorwen

1. plural of sorwe