wrixle
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Middle English wrixlen, from Old English wrixlan, wixlan (“to change, exchange, reciprocate”), from Proto-Germanic *wihslijaną, *wihslōną (“to change”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyk-, *weyḱ- (“to change”). Cognate with Scots wissel (“to exchange, barter”), Dutch wisselen (“to exchange, barter, swap”), German wechseln (“to change, switch”), Icelandic víxl (“cross, interchange”), Latin vicis (“change, alteration, diversity, reciprocity”).
Verb
wrixle (third-person singular simple present wrixles, present participle wrixling, simple past and past participle wrixled)
- (obsolete) To exchange.
- (transitive, obsolete) To alter, as one's mind or mental faculties; effect a change in.
- (obsolete) To exchange opinions; speak one's mind; share thoughts; communicate.
- (transitive, obsolete) To envelop, wrap; confuse; confound.
Usage notes
Fell out of common usage in the 16th century. Was somewhat common in the 14th and 15th centuries. Survives in dialects in the form of wissle.
References
Categories:
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms inherited from Old English
- English terms derived from Old English
- English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English lemmas
- English verbs
- English terms with obsolete senses
- English transitive verbs