bærnan

Metathesis of earlier *brænnan, from Proto-West Germanic *brannijan, from Proto-Germanic *brannijaną, causative of *brinnaną (Old English birnan).

Cognate with Old Frisian berna, Old Saxon brennian, Old Dutch brennen, Old High German brennen, Old Norse brenna, Gothic *𐌱𐍂𐌰𐌽𐌽𐌾𐌰𐌽 (*brannjan).

• IPA^(key): /ˈbær.nɑn/, [ˈbærˠ.nɑn]

bærnan (West Saxon)

1. (transitive) to burn
   • late 10th c., Ælfric of Eynsham, "The Passion of St. Bartholomew the Apostle"

     Sē lǣċe ċierfþ oþþe bærnþ, and sē untruma hrīemþ, þēah hwæðre ne miltsaþ hē þæs ōðres wānunge, for þon þe ġif sē lǣċe ġeswīcþ his cræftes, þonne losaþ sē forwunoda.

     The surgeon cuts or burns, and the patient screams, yet the surgeon doesn't give in to the patient's cries, because if he lets up from his task, the patient will die.

2. to cauterize

• forbærnan
• onbærnan

• birnan

• Middle English: brennen
  • English: bren
  • Scots: brenn, bren, brend