reccan

Old English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈret.t͡ʃɑn/

Etymology 1

From Proto-West Germanic *rakkjan.

Verb

reċċan

1. to explain
   • late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of Saint Augustine's Soliloquies

     Swīðe endebyrdlīce þū hyt recst, ac ic þē wille secgan ġēt þēah hwæs [ic] þǣr fæstlīce ġelȳfe [and] ymb hwæt ic þǣr ġȳt twēoge.

     Very orderly thou dost explain it, but I will yet say to thee what I firmly believe, and about what I yet doubt.

2. to argue
3. to narrate, tell
4. to stretch out, extend
5. to reach out to someone

Usage notes

• Reċċan means to argue as in "make an argument," i.e. to put forth a line of reasoning whether or not anyone disputes it. For the sense "debate, quarrel," flītan is used.

Conjugation

Conjugation of reċċan (weak class 1)

infinitive	reċċan	reċċenne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	reċċe	reahte, rehte
second person singular	reċest	reahtest, rehtest
third person singular	reċeþ	reahte, rehte
plural	reċċaþ	reahton, rehton
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	reċċe	reahte, rehte
plural	reċċen	reahten, rehten
imperative
singular	reċe
plural	reċċaþ
participle	present	past
	reċċende	(ġe)reaht, (ġe)reht

Derived terms

• ġereċċan
• āreċċan
• oferreċċan

Related terms

• racu

Descendants

• English: retch, rack (rack one's brains)

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *rōkijaną.

Verb

reċċan

1. Alternative form of rēċan

Conjugation

Conjugation of reċċan (weak class 1)

infinitive	reċċan	reċċenne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	reċċe	rōhte
second person singular	reċċest, recst	rōhtest
third person singular	reċċeþ, recþ	rōhte
plural	reċċaþ	rōhton
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	reċċe	rōhte
plural	reċċen	rōhten
imperative
singular	reċċ
plural	reċċaþ
participle	present	past
	reċċende	(ġe)rōht