CHAPTER XXV.
ON CONJUGATION.
[§ 321]. Attention is directed to the following list of verbs. In the present English they all form the præterite in -d or -t; in Anglo-Saxon, they all formed it by a change of the vowel. In other words they are weak verbs that were once strong.
| Præterites. |
| English. | Anglo-Saxon. |
| Present. | Præterite. | Present. | Præterite. |
| Wreak | Wreaked. | Wrece | Wrǽc. |
| Fret | Fretted. | Frete | Frǽt. |
| Mete | Meted. | Mete | Mǽt. |
| Shear | Sheared. | Scere | Scear. |
| Braid | Braided. | Brede | Brǽd. |
| Knead | Kneaded. | Cnede | Cnǽd. |
| Dread | Dreaded. | Drǽde | Dred. |
| Sleep | Slept. | Slápe | Slep. |
| Fold | Folded. | Fealde | Feold. |
| Wield | Wielded. | Wealde | Weold. |
| Wax | Waxed. | Weaxe | Weox. |
| Leap | Leapt. | Hleápe | Hleop. |
| Sweep | Swept. | Swápe | Sweop. |
| Weep | Wept. | Wepe | Weop. |
| Sow | Sowed. | Sáwe | Seow. |
| Bake | Baked. | Bace | Bók. |
| Gnaw | Gnawed. | Gnage | Gnóh. |
| Laugh | Laughed. | Hlihhe | Hlóh. |
| Wade | Waded. | Wade | Wód. |
| Lade | Laded. | Hlade | Hlód. |
| Grave | Graved. | Grafe | Gróf. |
| Shave | Shaved. | Scafe | Scóf. |
| Step | Stepped. | Steppe | Stóp. |
| Wash | Washed. | Wacse | Wócs. |
| Bellow | Bellowed. | Belge | Bealh. |
| Swallow | Swallowed. | Swelge | Swealh. |
| Mourn | Mourned. | Murne | Mearn. |
| Spurn | Spurned. | Spurne | Spearn. |
| Carve | Carved. | Ceorfe | Cearf. |
| Starve | Starved. | Steorfe | Stærf. |
| Thresh | Threshed. | Þersce | Þærsc. |
| Hew | Hewed. | Heawe | Heow. |
| Flow | Flowed. | Flówe | Fleow. |
| Row | Rowed. | Rówe | Reow. |
| Creep | Crept. | Creópe | Creáp. |
| Dive | Dived. | Deófe | Deáf. |
| Shove | Shoved. | Scéofe | Sceáf. |
| Chew | Chewed. | Ceówe | Ceáw. |
| Brew | Brewed. | Breówe | Breáw. |
| Lock | Locked. | Lûce | Leác. |
| Suck | Sucked. | Sûce | Seác. |
| Reek | Reeked. | Reóce | Reác. |
| Smoke | Smoked. | Smeóce | Smeác. |
| Bow | Bowed. | Beóge | Beáh. |
| Lie | Lied. | Leóge | Leáh. |
| Gripe | Griped. | Grípe | Gráp. |
| Span | Spanned. | Spanne | Spén. |
| Eke | Eked. | Eáce | Eóc. |
| Fare | Fared. | Fare | Fôr. |
[§ 322]. Respecting the strong verb, the following general statements may be made:
1. Many strong verbs become weak; whilst no weak verb ever becomes strong.
2. All the strong verbs are of Saxon origin. None are classical.
3. The greater number of them are strong throughout the Gothic tongues.