brecan
/ˈbre.kɑn/
The English phrase break is translated into Old English as brecan.
The verb brecan is transitive, meaning it is used to describe the action of separating something into two or more pieces.
Meaning: transitive: to separate into (to cause to end up in) two or more pieces (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
The past tense is bræc, the past participle is brocen and the third-person singular present indicative is brece.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbre.kɑn/. The word has two syllables and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- The Proto-Indo-European root '*bʰreg-' which gave rise to brecan also traveled into Sanskrit to influence words related to breaking or splitting.
- While modern 'break' often implies a sudden snap, the Old English 'brecan' was also used in poetic contexts to describe 'breaking' or bursting forth like waves or light.
- Because brecan is a strong verb, its stem changes vowels in a way that is similar to how we still use 'sing' and 'sang' in modern English.
Examples in context
- Ic cann þone staf brecan.I can break the staff.
- Hēo wile þæt glæs brecan.She wants to break the glass.
Example conversation
Two people are handling a fragile clay pot.
- ÆthelflædÆthelflæd, ne brec þū þone pott!Æthelflæd, do not break the pot!
- EadricIc ne wille hit brecan, Eadric.I do not want to break it, Eadric.
- ÆthelflædHit is swīþe tēdre.It is very fragile.
- EadricIċ hit wel beorge.I will guard it well.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry brecan, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries brecan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
