byrþen

Old English

Alternative forms

• byrþenn, byrðen — edh spelling
• byrden

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *burþini, equivalent to byrd ‎ -en.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbyr.θen/, [ˈbyrˠ.ðen]

Noun

byrþen f

1. burden

   Þā strangan sċulon beran þāra unstrangena byrðenne.

   The strong should bear the burden of the weak.

   Fǣrlīċe sēo bryċġ ġehrēas under þǣre hefigan byrðenne.

   Suddenly the bridge collapsed under the heavy burden.

Declension

Declension of byrþen (strong ō-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	byrþen	byrþenna, byrþenne
accusative	byrþenne	byrþenna, byrþenne
genitive	byrþenne	byrþenna
dative	byrþenne	byrþennum

Synonyms

• hlæst

Descendants

• Middle English: bürthene, bürdene
  • Scots: burthine
  • English: burthen, burden