wærc

Old English

Alternative forms

• werċ, wræċ
• ƿærċ — wynn spelling

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *warkiz (“ache, pain”), from Proto-Indo-European *werǵ-, *wreǵ- (“to work, act”). Cognate with Old Norse verkr (“pain”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /wært͡ʃ/, [wærˠt͡ʃ]

Noun

wærċ m (nominative plural wærċas)

1. pain; ache
2. suffering; anguish; grief

Declension

Declension of wærc (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	wærċ	wærċas
accusative	wærċ	wærċas
genitive	wærċes	wærċa
dative	wærċe	wærċum

Derived terms

• bānwærċ
• brēostwærċ
• endwerċ
• hēafodwærċ

Descendants

• Middle English: warch, wark, werk (unassibilated forms due to influence from Old Norse verkr)
  • English: wark
  • Scots: werk, wark