ern
UK /ɜːn/ · US /ɝn/ verb, proper noun
Also a form of erne
Forms erns erning erned earn
- verb (UK dialectal) To run; flow.
- verb (UK dialectal, Scotland) To (cause to) coagulate; curdle (milk) by adding rennet and applying heat.
- verb (intransitive, obsolete) To stir with strong emotion; grieve; mourn.
- verb (UK dialectal, Scotland) To pain; torture.
- verb (UK dialectal, Scotland) (of the eyes) To cause to water; smart.
- proper noun A diminutive of the male given name Ernest.
Synonyms
erne grey sea eagle gray sea eagle European sea eagle white-tailed sea eagle Haliatus albicilla
Etymology
From Middle English ernen, from Old English irnan, iernan (“to run, move quickly”), metathetic variant of rinnan (“to run”). More at run.
Of obscure origin. Perhaps an alteration of erme, from Middle English ermen, from Old English yrman, ierman. Compare also Old Scots urn, uren. More at erme.
Alteration of erne.
Shortening.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A sea eagle, esp. the European white-tailed sea eagle (Haliæetus albicilla).
- verb To stir with strong emotion; to grieve; to mourn.
Etymology [AS. earn eagle; akin to D. arend, OHG. aro, G. aar, Icel., Sw., & Dan. örn, Goth. ara, and to Gr. Ornithology.]
Etymology [Cf. Erme.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “ern”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details