Ween

Pronunciation

• IPA: /wiːn/
• Homophones: wean
• Rhymes: -iːn

From Middle English wene, from Old English wēn, wēna ("hope, weening, expectation"), from Proto-Germanic *wēniz, *wēnǭ ("hope, expectation"), from Proto-Indo-European *wen- ("to strive, love, want, reach, win"). Cognate with German Wahn ("illusion, false hope").

Full definition of ween

Noun

1. (obsolete) Doubt; conjecture.

From Middle English wenen, from Old English wēnan, from Proto-Germanic *wēnijaną. Cognate with Dutch wanen, German wähnen.

Verb

1. (archaic) To suppose, imagine; to think, believe.
• 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book IV:ther cam a damoisel from Morgan le fay and brought vnto syr Arthur a swerd lyke vnto Excalibur ..., and he thanked her, & wende it had ben so, but she was fals, for the swerd and the scauberd was counterfeet & brutyll and fals.
• 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Acts VIII:Then sayde Peter unto hym: Perissh thou and thy money togedder. For thou wenest that the gyfte of god maye be obteyned with money?
2. (dated) To expect, hope or wish.

Derived terms

• overweening

Anagrams

• Ewen
• newe