adv. Obs. Forms: 1 ʓeorne, ʓyrne, 2–4 ȝeorne, 2–5 ȝorne, 2–6 ȝerne, 3 (Orm.) ȝerrne, 4 ȝern, ȝiern(e, 4–5 yerne, ȝurne, ȝarne, 4–6 yern, ȝarn, 5 ȝyrne, yorne, yurne, yarn, 6 yarne. [OE. ʓeorne = OFris. gerne, jerne (Fris. jearn), OS. gerno (MDu. gherne, geerne, Du. gaarne), OHG. gerno (MHG. gerne, G. gern), ON. gjarna (Sw. gerna, gärna, Da. gerne); adv. of OE. ʓeorn, etc.: see YERN a.]
1. Eagerly, earnestly, diligently, zealously, heartily.
Beowulf, 2294. Hordweard sohte ʓeorne æfter grunde.
a. 1122. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1083. Þa wreccan munecas … ʓyrne cleopedon to Gode his miltse biddende.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 11. Muchel is us þenne neod … ȝerne bidden ure milciende drihten þet [etc.].
a. 1200. Moral Ode, 49. Þider ȝe sculen ȝorne draȝen.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 3. Men … wisten ȝerne after ure lauerd ihesu cristes tocume.
a. 1250. Prov. Ælfred, 101, in O. E. Misc. (1872), 108. Þe mon þe on his youhþe yeorne leorneþ wit and wisdom.
c. 1290. St. Brandan, 94, in S. Eng. Leg., 222. & bede ȝurne oure louerdes grace þulke veyage to do.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 2789 (Cott.). Ȝern [Fairf. ȝorne] on þaim he cried merci!
1375. Barbour, Bruce, III. 547. The king then at thaim speryt ȝarne, How thai … had farne.
c. 1400. St. Alexius (Laud 463), 35. Boþe be day, & be nyght, Ȝerne þei þonked our dright, Seinte Marie.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 6719. Thanne may he go abegging yerne Til he somme maner crafte kan lerne.
c. 1420. Chron. Vilod., 727. Seynt Dunstone heyȝede hym fulle faste And ȝyrne to god for hym he bedde.
c. 1425. Engl. Conq. Irel., 92. He … besoght ful yorne þat he most allyaunce haue to har kynrede.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., I. 447. Mynge hit yurne Tyl euery part vntyl on body turne.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IV. vii. 83. The blak swarm our the feildis walkis ȝarn, Tursand throw the gers thar pray to hiddillis dern. Ibid., VI. vii. 44. The hiddillis held thai and the roddis darn, A myrtre wod about thaim lowkit ȝarn.
b. Willingly, gladly, ‘fain’; occas. willfully.
c. 888. Ælfred, Boeth., vii. § 2. Þonne scealt þu ʓeorne ʓeðolian ʓehwæt þæs þe to heora þenungum … belimpet.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 9. Ȝif þu ȝierne waxest on godnesse,… after þing þe ðe beð biheue.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1526. Ȝe, þat ar so cortays & coynt of your hetes, Oghe to a ȝonke þynk ȝern to schewe, & teche sum tokenez of trweluf craftes.
1414. Brampton, Penit. Ps. (Percy Soc.), 12. And I trespase aȝens the ȝerne.
a. 1508. Dunbar, Tua Mariit Wemen, 129. He trowis that ȝoung folk I ȝerne ȝeild.
c. Thoroughly, well.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xxxix. 3. He wiste ful ʓeorne þæt god hine lufode.
12[?]. Moral Ode, 346 (Egerton MS.). Þat buð ða þe heom sculdeð ȝeorne, wid elche un-ðeawe.
a. 1225. Leg. Kath., 1588. Hire luste swiðe ȝeorne speoken mit te meiden.
c. 1240. Ureisun, in O. E. Hom., I. 199. Þu hit wost ful ȝeorne þet þe deouel hateð me.
2. a. Quickly, swiftly, rapidly, fast, briskly, at a great rate.
a. 1023. Wulfstan, Hom., ii. (1883), 18. Hit to ðam dome nu ʓeorne nealæcð.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 498. A ȝere ȝernes ful ȝerne, & ȝeldez neuer lyke.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pard. T., 70. Myne handes and my tonge goon so yerne That it is ioye to se my bisynesse.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XXIII. 159. Sleuthe wax wonder ȝerne and sone was of age.
c. 1430. Freemasonry, 174. The mayster may his prentes so enforme, That hys hure may crese ful ȝurne.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 536/2. Ȝarne, hastyly (P. ȝarne or fast), festinanter.
1443–9. Paston Lett., Suppl. (1901), 12. There he lyted and knokkyd on the gate, and we folwyd as yarn as we myth.
1493. Dives & Pauper (W. de W., 1496), IX. viii. 358/1. Bere he his sayle neuer soo hyghe, & go he neuer soo yerne.
c. 1530. Crt. of Love, 1299. There nis no swallow swift … ne half so yern can fly.
b. Quickly, without delay, immediately, directly, Also as yerne (see AS A. 5 c).
c. 1320. Sir Tristr., 3065. Hennes ȝern þou fle Out of siȝt mine.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 1252. Ȝeld þe to me ȝeply or ȝerne þou schalt deie.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, III. 376. Achilles with his spere Myn herte cleue,… yf I late or yerne Wolde it by-wreye. Ibid. (c. 1384), H. Fame, II. 402. Wyth that he spack to me so yerne And seyde.
c. 1440. Jacob’s Well, 12. Ȝif ȝe be gylty, be sory in herte,… and ȝerne, wyth full sorwe of herte, beeth schreuyn.
c. 1470. Harding, Chron., CIX. vi. And then the kyng made hym byshop as yerne Of Winchester.
