swopen

Middle English

Alternative forms

• swope, zuope, swapen

Etymology

From Old English swāpan, from Proto-Germanic *swaipaną.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈswɔːpən/, /ˈswoːpən/

Verb

swopen

1. To sweep debris or litter away.
2. (religion) To cleanse or purge evil influences.

Conjugation

Conjugation of swopen (strong class 7 or weak in -ed)

infinitive	(to) swopen, swope
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	swope	swep, swoped
2nd-person singular	swopest	swepe, swep, swopedest
3rd-person singular	swopeth	swep, swoped
subjunctive singular	swope	swepe1, swoped1
imperative singular		—
plural2	swopen, swope	swepen, swepe, swopeden, swopede
imperative plural	swopeth, swope	—
participles	swopynge, swopende	swopen, swepe, swoped, yswopen, yswepe

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

Descendants

• English: swoop
• Scots: swap, swape, swaip

References

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