Obs. Forms: 1 ʓeiernan, ʓeyrnan, Nth. ʓeiorna, 3–4 ȝurne, ȝirne, 4–5 ȝerne, yerne. Pa. t. α. (str.) 1 ʓearn, (ʓarn, ʓeharn), ʓiarn, pl. ʓeurnon, ʓe-uurnun, ʓiurnun, 3–4 ȝorn, 4 yorn, ȝorne, yorne, yourne, ȝarn, yarn, 5 yarne, yurne; β. (wk.) 1 pl. ʓeærndon, 4 yerned. Pa. pple. 1 ʓeurnen (see YEARN v.2 etym.); 4 yȝarned. [OE. ʓeiernan, ʓeærnan: see Y- prefix 3 c and RUN v. For the specific sense ‘to curdle’ see YEARN v.2]
1. intr. = RUN v. 1, 4, 5.
c. 900. trans. Bæda’s Hist., V. vi. (1890), 400. Þa ʓeærndon hio sume ðraʓe, & eft hwurfon.
c. 900. Wærferth, trans. Gregory’s Dial., xii. (1900), 88. & þa him gangendum in þam weʓe him onʓen ʓeurnon [v.r. urnon] þer ærendracan.
c. 1300. K. Horn, 749 (Laud 108). To boure he gan ȝerne.
13[?]. K. Alis., 565 (Laud MS.). Of wilde beestes com a grele pray, Ȝerned þorouȝout þe contray. Ibid., 2699. Forthe [he] is wiþ þat yȝarned [rhyme forbarnd; v.r. yroune, rhyme brenne].
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 881. Bot þat þe ȝonge men, so ȝepe, ȝornen þer-oute.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. III. 213 (MS. R.). Emperoures … þurȝ ȝiftes han ȝoumen to ȝernen [v.r. renne] and to ride.
a. 1400. Octouian, 561. The maryners … yorne awey, with good wylle, Well hastyly. Ibid., 965. Vpon a stede he gan yerne With sper and scheld.
14[?]. St. Jeremie’s 15 Tokens, 45. Þe deuelen willen come ȝernend & speten fire & blast.
c. 1425. Engl. Conq. Irel., 74. He saw a mych flote of wylde swyne yernynge vp-on hugh & moryce. Ibid., 82. He yarne to snellych for to socur hym.
b. = RUN v. 9.
c. 1055. Byrhtferth’s Handboc, in Anglia, VIII. 298. Þes circul ys todæled ontwelf, & seo sunne ʓeyrnð þas twelf fætu binnan .XII. monðum. Ibid., 320. Saturnus ys se ytemesta he ʓeyrnð his ryne binnan þrittiʓum wintrum.
1340. Ayenb., 84. Stedeuest and lestinde ase þe zonne, þet alneway yernþ and ne is neure wery. Ibid., 141 [see yerning below].
2. = RUN v. 20.
1340. Ayenb., 27. Vor hit behoueþ þet zuich wyn yerne by þe teppe, ase þer is ine þe tonne.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XIX. 376 (MS. B). Water … Egerlich ȝernynge out of mennes eyen.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 105. Þe streem of Egipte þat ȝerneþ westward in to þe grete see.
a. 1400. R. Gloucester’s Chron. (Rolls), 8671 (MS. C). Þe blod ȝorn to grounde.
3. fig. = RUN v. 27, 29, 31.
c. 900. trans. Bæda’s Hist., IV. xxviii[i]. (1890), 366. Þa ʓeorn ðær sona upp ʓenihtsumlic yrð & wæstm.
c. 900. Wærferth, trans. Gregory’s Dial., xxi. (1900), 147. Swa hwæt swa þe on mod ʓeurne [orig. quidquid animo occurrit].
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 529. Þenne al rypez & rotez þat ros vpon fyrst, & þus ȝirnez þe ȝere in ȝisterdayez mony.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XI. 59. I forȝat ȝouthe and ȝarn [v.rr. yarne, ȝerne; 1393 ȝorn(e, ȝarn] in-to elde. Ibid. (1393), C. XIX. 165. Enuye and vuel will ȝorn in þe Iewes.
Hence † Yerning vbl. sb., running, course; ppl. a., running; also † Yerner, a runner.
1340. Ayenb., 141. Þe sterre þet hatte saturne,… þet asemoche yernþ in onelepi daye mid þe firmament … ase he deþ ine þritti yer ine his oȝene sercle and ine his oȝene yerninge. Ibid., 255. Þe melle wyþoute scluse þet alne-way went be þe yernynge of þe wetere.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VI. 13. Þanne þe province was swiþe destourbed by rennynge of [MS. γ ȝurnyng and] reses of straungers.
a. 1400. Praier & Compl. Ploughman (1531), F ij. Thou ne madest none suche shepherdes ne kepers of thy schepe, that weren yerners aboute countreys.
a. 1400. R. Gloucester’s Chron. (Rolls), 8288 (MS. C). Þe ȝurnende water was of hor blod al red.
c. 1425. Engl. Conq. Irel., 94. Bytwene twe perylle:—on on halue, þe wode-yernynge watyr so grysly; on other halue, hys fomen.
