mænan

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *mainijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *mein-, *moin- (“intention, opinion”). Germanic cognates include Old Frisian mēna ‘signify’, Old Saxon mēnian (Dutch menen ‘intend, make known’), Old High German meinen (German meinen ‘have an opinion’). The Indo-European root is also the source of Old Irish mían ‘wish, desire’, Old Church Slavonic мӗнити (Polish mienić ‘signify, believe’). Sense 5 may be a separate word.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈmæːnɑn/

Verb

mǣnan (weak class 1)

1. to mean, to intend (to do something)
2. to mean, to intend (something for a specific purpose)
3. to mean, to signify, to indicate
4. to say, to relate
5. to mourn or lament