Obs. Forms: 1 ʓeorn, 3 ȝeorn, 3–5 ȝern, (4 ȝarn, yerin), 4–5 ȝerne, yerne, 5 yarne, yherne, 6 yorne, yearne, (9 dial. jern). [OE. ʓeorn = OS. gern, OHG. gern, kern (MHG. gern, G. -gern), ON. gjarn, Goth. -gaírns (in seinagaírns selfish, faíhugaírns covetous), also OS. -gerni (MLG. gerne), OHG. *gerni, kerni (MHG. -gerne); f. Teut ger-: see YERE v. and cf. YEARN v.]
1. Eager, earnestly or keenly desirous; also, greedy, covetous.
c. 893. Ælfred, Oros., III. viii. 122. For þæm þe æʓþer þara folca wæs þæs ʓefeohtes ʓeorn.
971. Blickl. Hom., 43. Ne sceal he eac beon to ʓeorn deadra manna feos.
a. 1000. Guthlac, 1051. Ic eom siþes fus … edleanan ʓeorn.
a. 1200. Moral Ode, 256, in O. E. Hom., I. 175. Þa þe weren swa lese þet me hom ne mihte ileuen Med-ierne domes men & wrongwise reuen.
13[?]. Cursor M., 14638 (Gött.). Þat ȝe war sauf ȝarn haue i bene.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VI. x. 852. To fecht wiþ him þai wer full ȝarne [v.r. yherne].
[1905. Engl. Dial. Dict., s.v. Yearn, In phr. to be jern on a thing, to be bent on it. Shr., Mtg. I’m jern on this or that.)
b. Earnestly occupied or engaged, busy (about something).
a. 1300. Cursor M., 8205 (Cott.). O þaa wandes grett lose þai made, Þe king abute þam was ful gern [v.rr. ȝern(e].
c. 1450. Mirk’s Festial, 147. Þer was a tonne of bras … into þe wheche tonne he was put and closyd þeryn, and fure made vndyr hote, and so þei weren ȝerne about for þat Seynt Ion schuld haue ben brent þeryn.
2. Swift, rapid; brisk, lively; nimble, active.
13[?]. Cursor M., 23588 (Edinb.). Sun and mon, and water and stern, Þat rinnes now wit ras sa yerin.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Miller’s T., 71. But of hir song, it was as loude and yerne As any swalwe sittynge on a berne.
c. 1515. Scottish Field, 571 (Chetham Misc. II.). Yorkshippe [sic] like yorne [v.r. (Percy MS.) yearne] men, egerly they foughten!
