wadan

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *wadaną, from Proto-Indo-European *weh₂dʰ-. Cognate with Old Frisian wada, Middle Dutch waden (Dutch waden), Old High German watan (German waten), Old Norse vaða (Icelandic vaða, Swedish vada). The Indo-European root is also the source of Latin vādō (“I go”), vadum (“a ford”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈwɑ.dɑn/

Verb

wadan

1. to go, to advance, to travel
   • early 11th century, author unknown, Battle of Maldon, lines 130 and 131

     Wōd þā wīges heard, wǣpen ūp āhōf, bord tō gebeorge, and wið þæs beornes stōp.

     Then (each warrior, from "hyssa gehwylc") bitter for battle advanced, when (each) raised up (his) weapon, (each one's) shield as protection, and advanced opposite/against (each Viking) warrior.

Conjugation

Conjugation of wadan (strong class 6)

infinitive	wadan	wadenne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	wade	wōd
second person singular	wætst	wōde
third person singular	wætt, wæt	wōd
plural	wadaþ	wōdon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	wade	wōde
plural	waden	wōden
imperative
singular	wad
plural	wadaþ
participle	present	past
	wadende	(ġe)wæden, (ġe)waden

Derived terms

• oferwadan
• onwadan
• þurhwadan
• ġeondwadan
• ġewadan

 

Related terms

• wæd

Descendants

• Middle English: waden
  • Scots: wad, wade
  • English: wade

References

• Joseph Bosworth and T. Northcote Toller (1898) “wadan”, in An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Old Saxon

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *wadaną.

Verb

wadan

1. to go, to wander

Conjugation

Conjugation of wadan (strong class 6)

infinitive	wadan
indicative	present	past
1st person singular	wadu	wōd
2nd person singular	wedis	wōdi
3rd person singular	wedid	wōd
plural	wadad	wōdun
subjunctive	present	past
1st person singular	wade	wōdi
2nd person singular	wades	wōdis
3rd person singular	wade	wōdi
plural	waden	wōdin
imperative	present
singular	wad
plural	wadad
participle	present	past
	wadandi	giwadan, wadan

Descendants

• Low German: waden