The native force of English was such that it came to be a highly
developed language, possessing a copious vocabulary and a rich
literature in prose and verse. Indeed, the English quite surpassed
their Norman conquerors in learning and literary culture. It is this
English that lies at the foundation of the English of to-day, and
some attention may well be given to old English root-words.
=Āc=, an _oak_, gives us oak, acorn, Acton.
=Bac-an=, to _bake_: baker, baxter (female baker), batch.
=Ban-a=, a _slayer_: bane, baneful, henbane.
=Bēat-an=, to _stroke_: beat, bat, battle, beetle, batter.
=Beorg-an=, to _shelter_: bury, burrow, burgh, harbour, harbinger.
=Bēr-an=, to _bear_: bear, birth, bairn, breed, brood, bier, barrow,
brother, bird.
=Bēt-an=, to _make good_: better, best, boot (to boot).
=Bind-an=, to _bind_: band, bond, bondage, bundle.
=Bit=, to _bite_: bit, beetle, bait, bitter.
=Blāw-an=, to _puff_: bladder, blain, blast, blister, blot, bloat.
=Blōw-an=, to _blossom_: blow, bloom, blossom, blade.
=Brec-an=, to _break_: break, breakers, brake, bracken, breach.
=Brēow-an=, brew, brewer, broth, bread.
=Būg-an=, to _bend_: bow, elbow, bough, bight.
=Byrn-an=, to _burn_: burn, brown, brimstone, brand, brandy,
brindled.
=Catt=, a _cat_: catkin, kitten, caterpillar, caterwaul.
=Cēapi-an=, to _buy_: cheap, cheapen, chap, chaffer, Chapman.
=Cen-an=, to _produce_: kin, kindred, kind, kindle.
=Cēow-an=, to _chew_: chew, cheek, cud.
=Clēow-an=, to _split_: cleave, cleaver, cleft, clover (split grass).
=Clifi-an=, to _stick to_: clip, cleave (together).
=Cnāw-an=, to _know_: ken, know, knowledge.
=Cnot-ta=, a _knot_: knot, knit, net.
=Cunn-an=, to _know_, _be able_: can, con, cunning, uncouth.
=Cweth-an=, to _say_: quoth, bequeath, bequest.
=Cwic=, _alive_: quick, quicken, quickset, quicksilver.
=Dæ-an=, to _divide_: deal, dole, dale, dell.
=Dēm-an=, to _judge_: deem, doom, doomsday, king-dom.
=Dēor=, _dear_, dearth, darling, endear.
=Dōn=, to _act_: do, don, doff, deed.
=Drag-an=, to _draw_: drag, draw, dray, draft, drain, dredge,
draggle, drawl.
=Drīf-an=, to _push_: drive, drove, drift, adrift.
=Drinc-an=, to _soak_: drink, drench.
=Drīp-an=, to _drip_: drip, drop, droop, dribble, driblet.
=Dryge=, _dry_: dry, drought, drugs (dried plants).
=Far-an=, to _go_: far, fare, welfare, ferry, ford.
=Fēower=, _four_: farthing, firkin, fourteen, fortnight, forty.
=Flēog-an=, to _flee_: fly, flight, flea, fledged.
=Flēot-an=, to _float_: float, fleet, afloat, flotsam.
=Fōd-a=, _food_, _feed_: food, fodder, foster, father, forage.
=Fōn=, [P.P. gefangen], to _catch_: fang, finger, new fangled.
=Frēon=, to _love_: friend, friendship.
=Gal-an=, to _sing_: gale, yell, nightingale.
=Gang-an=, to _go_: gang, gangway, ago.
=Gnag-an=, to _bite_: gnaw, gnat, nag (to tease).
=Graf-an=, to _dig_, _cut_: grave, engrave, graft, groove, carve.
=Grīp-an=, to _seize_: grip, gripe, grasp, grab, grope.
=Gyrd-an=, to _surround_: gird, girdle, garden, yard, vineyard.
=Hæl-an=, to _heal_: hale, holy, hallow, health, hail, whole,
wholesome, wassail.
=Hebb-an=, to _raise_: heave, heaven, heavy, (heave-offering).
=Hlāf=, _bread_, _loaf_: loaf, lord (hlāford, loaf-keeper), lady
(hlœfdīge = loaf-kneader).
=Licg-an=, to _lie_: lie, lay, layer, lair, outlay.
=Loda=, _guide_: lead, lodestar, lodestone.
=Māg-an=, to _be able_: may, main, might, mighty.
=Māw-an=, to _cut_: mow, math, aftermath, mead, meadow (mown spot).
=Mōn-a=, _moon_: month, moon, (moonshiner).
=Nasu=, _nose_: nose, nasal, nostril, nozzle.
=Penn-an=, to _shut up_: pen, pin, pound, impound.
=Pīc=, _point_: pike, peak, picket, pike (a fish), peck, pecker.
=Rēaf=, _clothing_, _spoil_: rob, robber, reave, bereave, reever,
robe.
=Scēap-an=, to _form_: shape, ship, scape (landscape).
=Scēot-an=, to _throw_: shoot, shot, shut, sheet, shutter, shuttle,
scud.
=Scer-an=, to _cut_: shear, share, shire, scar, scare, score, sharp,
short, shirt, skirt, shred, scrip, scrap.
=Scuf-an=, to _push_: shove, shovel, shuffle, scruffle, sheaf, scoop.
=Sitt-an=, to _sit_: sit, set, seat, settle.
=Slē-an=, to _strike_: slay, slaughter, slog, sledge.
=Slīp-an=, to _slip_: slop, slipper, sleeve.
=Snīc-an=, to _crawl_: sneak, snake, snail.
=Stede=, _place_: stead, instead, homestead, steady, steadfast.
=Stici-an=, to _stick_: stick, stitch, stake, stock, stockade,
stock-still.
=Stīg-an=, to _climb_: stair, stile, stirrup, sty.
=Styr-an=, to _direct_: steer, stern, steerage.
=Sweri-an=, to _declare_: swear, answer (and-, _against_), forswear.
=Tæc-an=, to _teach_: teach, teacher, token, taught.
=Tell-an=, to _account_: tell, tale, talk, toll, teller.
=Tēon=, to _draw_: tow, tug.
=Thæc=, _roof_: thatch, deck.
=Tred-an=, to _walk_: tread, treadle, trade, tradesman.
=Trūwa=, _good faith_: true, truth, troth, betroth.
=Twā=, _two_: twain, twelve, twenty, twig, twine, twist.
=Wana=, _lacking_: wan, wane, want, wanton.
=Wef-an=, to _weave_: weaver, web, woof.
=Warū=, _defense_: war, wary, aware, ward, guard, guardian.
=Wit-an=, to _know_: wit, wise, wisdom, wistful, witness.
=Wraest-an=, to _wrest_: wrest, wrestle, wrist.