clawen

== Middle English == === Etymology 1 === By surface analysis, clawe +‎ -en (infinitival suffix); originally two distinct verbs: Old English clawan or clāwan, remodelling of *clīeġan, from Proto-West Germanic *klauwjan, from Proto-Germanic *klawjaną. Old English clawian, from Proto-West Germanic *klawēn. If Old English clawan has a long stressed vowel, the pronunciation with /ɔu̯/ continues that; otherwise it likely reflects later influence from clowe, a variant of the noun clawe (which continues Old English clāwu or *clōwu). ==== Alternative forms ==== clawe, clowe clawy (Southwest Midland); clawyn (Promptorium Parvulorum) ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /ˈklau̯ən/, /ˈklɔu̯ən/ ==== Verb ==== clawen (third-person singular simple present claweth, present participle clawende, clawynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle clawed) To scratch at with the claws; to claw or make lacerations. To scratch or rub gently. (rare) To grab or grasp; to make a tight grip. (rare) To flatter; to butter up. (rare) To clean or remove by scratching. ===== Conjugation ===== ===== Descendants ===== English: claw Middle Scots: claw Scots: claw, clow ===== References ===== “clauen, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 12 November 2018. === Etymology 2 === ==== Noun ==== clawen plural of clawe