Skip to content
ontologydriven
Sign out

Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

lithen en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

  • /ˈlaɪðən/

Etymology

From Middle English *lithnien, equivalent to lithe + -en.

Meanings

  1. (archaic) To make lithe, soften; to ease, mitigate
    • “Nay, daughter, when thou art as old as Notte it will be time enough to reckon years!” returned the dark-skinned sybil, lithening the stiff folds of a viper in a blue oil, which cast out a noisome perfume as she stirred it. 1874, Emma Robinson, Cæsar Borgia:
    • "[…] I only know that for well-nigh all the stricken he hath lithened the fever, and that he hath recalled to life many an one whom the chirurgeon had given over to the chaplain." 1914, Mary Johnston, Sir Mortimer, page 278:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
lithening Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
lithened Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
lithened Tense=Past lexicographic
lithens Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic

lithen en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

  • /ˈlaɪðən/

Etymology

From lithe (“a mixture of oatmeal and water”) + -en.

Meanings

  1. (dialectal) To thicken a broth or gravy with a thickening agent (e.g. flour, oatmeal, etc.)

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
lithened Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
lithened Tense=Past lexicographic
lithens Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
lithening Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic