Ween: meaning, definitions and examples

🤔
Add to dictionary

ween

 

[ wiːn ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

expressing a thought

To ween means to suppose, believe, or think. It is an archaic term that is primarily used in dialects or in a literary context.

Synonyms

believe, suppose, think.

Examples of usage

  • I ween he will arrive on time.
  • She weens that it might rain tomorrow.
  • As one weens, so one shall see.
Context #2 | Verb

to take away

In some contexts, 'ween' can also suggest the act of weaning, especially in relation to children or animals. This usage, while less common, relates to the process of gradually withdrawing from breastfeeding or a similar dependency.

Synonyms

detach, remove, wean.

Examples of usage

  • They decided to ween the baby from breastfeeding.
  • The farmer will ween the calves in the spring.
  • She began to ween her child off the bottle.

Translations

Translations of the word "ween" in other languages:

🇵🇹 ween

🇮🇳 बचपन में छोड़ना

🇩🇪 ween

🇮🇩 ween

🇺🇦 покидати

🇵🇱 ween

🇯🇵 ウィーン

🇫🇷 ween

🇪🇸 ween

🇹🇷 ween

🇰🇷 ween

🇸🇦 ween

🇨🇿 ween

🇸🇰 ween

🇨🇳 哭泣

🇸🇮 weep

🇮🇸 ween

🇰🇿 жылау

🇬🇪 ტირილი

🇦🇿 ağlamaq

🇲🇽 weep

Etymology

The word 'ween' has Old English origins, derived from the word 'wenian', which means 'to presume' or 'to believe'. This term has been traced back to the Proto-Germanic *wunō, which denotes a sense of hope or expectation. Over time, 'ween' has largely fallen out of common usage in modern English, becoming somewhat archaic. However, it can still be encountered in literary texts, dialects, and in expressions that convey thought or belief. Its presence in poetry and prose gives 'ween' a somewhat nostalgic quality, linking current readers to the linguistic heritage of earlier English speakers.