wæflian

Old English

Etymology

Origin obscure, but likely from Proto-West Germanic *wablōn, a dissimilated variant of *bablōn (“to babble”), from Proto-Germanic *bablōną, a variant of *babalōną. See babble. For change of b to w, compare Proto-Germanic *baswǭ and *waswǭ (“aunt”); Middle High German behaben and wehaben (“to behave”), a phenomenon of known occurrence in Proto-West Germanic descendants.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈwæf.li.ɑn/, [ˈwæv.li.ɑn]

Verb

wæflian

1. to talk or speak foolishly; to waffle

Conjugation

Conjugation of wæflian (weak class 2)

infinitive	wæflian	wæflienne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	wæfliġe	wæflode
second person singular	wæflast	wæflodest
third person singular	wæflaþ	wæflode
plural	wæfliaþ	wæflodon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	wæfliġe	wæflode
plural	wæfliġen	wæfloden
imperative
singular	wæfla
plural	wæfliaþ
participle	present	past
	wæfliende	(ġe)wæflod

Related terms

• *bæblian