obumbren

Middle English

Alternative forms

• aboumbren

Etymology

From Old French obumbrer (“to overshadow”), from Latin obumbrō (“to overshadow”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔˈbumbrən/, /aˈbumbrən/

Verb

obumbren (third-person singular simple present obumbreth, present participle obumbrende, obumbrynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle obumbred)

1. (of countries) to overshadow
2. (of people, with over or to) to spread like a shadow over
3. (of eyes) to cover
4. (of the germination of beans) to shelter or protect
5. (Christianity, in passive, to be obumbred to) to be caused to overshadow (a reference to the causative role played by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary's conception of Christ)
   • Chaucer

     Or half the blisse who coude wryte or tel

     Whan the holy goost to thee was obumbred

Conjugation

Conjugation of obumbren (weak in -ed)

infinitive	(to) obumbren, obumbre
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	obumbre	obumbred
2nd-person singular	obumbrest	obumbredest
3rd-person singular	obumbreth	obumbred
subjunctive singular	obumbre
imperative singular		—
plural1	obumbren, obumbre	obumbreden, obumbrede
imperative plural	obumbreth, obumbre	—
participles	obumbrynge, obumbrende	obumbred, yobumbred

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