Middle English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Old English clāþian, from Proto-Germanic *klaiþōną, from Proto-Indo-European *gley-; equivalent to cloth +‎ -en (infinitival suffix).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈklɔːðən/, /ˈklɔːðiən/

Verb

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clothen

  1. (transitive, intransitive, reflexive) To clothe; to put clothing on (oneself, another).
  2. (transitive, reflexive) To furnish with clothes.
  3. (transitive) To enclose or surround.
  4. (transitive) To secrete or hide; to stash away.
  5. (transitive) To disguise oneself; to hide one's nature.
  6. (reflexive) To gain a trait; to immerse in an abstract quantity.
    • c. 1395, John Wycliffe, John Purvey [et al.], transl., Bible (Wycliffite Bible (later version), MS Lich 10.)‎[1], published c. 1410, Coꝛinthis ·i· 15:54, page 67v, column 1; republished as Wycliffe's translation of the New Testament, Lichfield: Bill Endres, 2010:
      / but whanne þis dedli þing ſchal cloþe vndedlyneſſe .· þanne ſchal þe woꝛd be doon þat is writen / deþ is ſopun up in victoꝛie
      But when this mortal thing acquires immortality, then the saying that's been recorded will happen: "Death has been swallowed up in victory!"
  7. (transitive, intransitive) To decorate or ornament.
  8. (rare, intransitive) To be furnished with clothes.
  9. (rare, transitive) To use or utilise.

Conjugation

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Descendants

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  • English: clothe

References

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