drepen

Low German

Etymology

From Middle Low German drēpen, from Old Saxon drepan, from Proto-West Germanic *drepan, from Proto-Germanic *drepaną. Doublet of drapen.

Verb

drepen (third-person singular simple present drippt, past tense dreep, past participle drepen, auxiliary verb hebben)

1. (transitive or reflexive) to meet; to encounter
2. (transitive or intransitive) to hit; to strike
3. (transitive) to affect; to concern
4. (intransitive or reflexive, colloquial, often with “goot” or “slecht”) to hit the mark; to suit; to be convenient, fortunate

   Dat drippt sick egentlig goot. ― That’s good actually.

Conjugation

Conjugation of drepen (class 4 strong verb)

infinitive	drepen
indicative	present	preterite
1st person singular	dreep	dreep
2nd person singular	dripps(t)	dreeps(t)
3rd person singular	dripp(t)	dreep
plural	dreept, dreepen	drepen
imperative	present	—
singular	dreep
plural	dreept
participle	present	past
	drepen	(e)drepen, gedrepen
Note: This conjugation is one of many; neither its grammar nor spelling apply to all dialects.

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch *drepan, from Proto-Germanic *drepaną.

Verb

drēpen

1. (rare) to hit (not miss), to strike

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Descendants

• Limburgish: drèppe

Further reading

• Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “drepen”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN

Middle English

FWOTD – 18 August 2022

Etymology 1

From Old English drepan, from Proto-West Germanic *drepan, from Proto-Germanic *drepaną.

Alternative forms

• drepe, drep

Pronunciation

• (unlengthened) IPA^(key): /ˈdrɛpən/
• IPA^(key): /ˈdrɛːpən/, /ˈdræːpən/

Verb

drepen

2. To kill, slay
3. To strike, hit
4. (rare) To overcome, vanquish
   • p. 1154, “AD 1137”, in Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (MS. Laud Misc. 636, continuation), Peterborough, folio 89, verso; republished at Oxford: Digital Bodleian, 2018 February 8:

     Mani þusen hi drapen mid hungær.

     Many thousands they overcame with hunger.

Usage notes

• Weak forms are usual for this verb after 1400; they are unknown before then.

Conjugation

Conjugation of drepen (strong class 4 or weak in -ed)

infinitive	(to) drepen, drepe
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	drepe	drap, dreped
2nd-person singular	drepest	drape, drap, drepedest
3rd-person singular	drepeth	drap, dreped
subjunctive singular	drepe	drape1, dreped1
imperative singular		—
plural2	drepen, drepe	drapen, drape, drepeden, drepede
imperative plural	drepeth, drepe	—
participles	drepynge, drepende	dropen, drope, dreped

¹Replaced by the indicative in later Middle English.
²Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Descendants

• >? English: drib, drub
• >? Scots: drib, drub

References

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

Etymology 2

From Old English drēopan, from Proto-West Germanic *dreupan, from Proto-Germanic *dreupaną.

Alternative forms

• drepe

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdreːpən/

Verb

drepen

2. To drip, spatter
3. To droop, lower

Conjugation

Conjugation of drepen (weak in -ed)

infinitive	(to) drepen, drepe
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	drepe	dreped
2nd-person singular	drepest	drepedest
3rd-person singular	drepeth	dreped
subjunctive singular	drepe
imperative singular		—
plural1	drepen, drepe	drepeden, drepede
imperative plural	drepeth, drepe	—
participles	drepynge, drepende	dreped, ydreped

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

Descendants

• Scots: dreep
  • → English: dreep

References

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

Middle Low German

Etymology

From Old Saxon driopan (“to drip”). Cognate with Old English dreopan, Dutch druipen and German triefen.

Pronunciation

• Stem vowel: e⁴
  • (originally) IPA^(key): /dreːpən/

Verb

drêpen

1. to drip

Conjugation

Conjugation of drepen as a class 2a strong verb

Plain Infinitive	drêpen
Full Infinitive (Gerund)	tô drêpene or tô drêpende
Verbal Noun	drêpen or drêpent
Participles			Imperatives
Present	drêpende		2nd Person Singular	drêp
Past	gedrōpen or gedrāpen		2nd Person Plural	drêpet
	Indicative		Subjunctive
	Present	Preterite	Present	Preterite
1st Person Singular	drêpe	drôp	drêpe	drȫpe
2nd Person Singular	drü̂pest or drü̂̂pst	drōpest or drȫpest	drêpest	drȫpest
3rd Person Singular	drü̂pet or drü̂̂pt	drôp	drêpet	drȫpe
Plural	drêpen (drêpet?)	drōpen or drȫpen	drêpen	drȫpen

Old English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdre.pen/

Participle

drepen

1. past participle of drepan

Declension

Declension of drepen — Strong

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	drepen	drepen	drepen
Accusative	drepenne	drepene	drepen
Genitive	drepenes	drepenre	drepenes
Dative	drepenum	drepenre	drepenum
Instrumental	drepene	drepenre	drepene
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	drepene	drepena, drepene	drepen
Accusative	drepene	drepena, drepene	drepen
Genitive	drepenra	drepenra	drepenra
Dative	drepenum	drepenum	drepenum
Instrumental	drepenum	drepenum	drepenum

Declension of drepen — Weak

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	drepena	drepene	drepene
Accusative	drepenan	drepenan	drepene
Genitive	drepenan	drepenan	drepenan
Dative	drepenan	drepenan	drepenan
Instrumental	drepenan	drepenan	drepenan
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	drepenan	drepenan	drepenan
Accusative	drepenan	drepenan	drepenan
Genitive	drepenra, drepenena	drepenra, drepenena	drepenra, drepenena
Dative	drepenum	drepenum	drepenum
Instrumental	drepenum	drepenum	drepenum