Herian

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To express high regard for someone or something, especially in a religious or ceremonial way, by offering praise
2. To honour a deity, hero or worthy person through words of admiration and celebration
3. To extol or magnify a person or thing with heartfelt praise, as was done in Old English poetry and worship

Etymology: Old English "herian" meant "to praise, extol, or glorify," and it was used mostly in religious and poetic contexts, where people praised God or a lord. It is a Germanic verb with relatives across the family: Old Saxon "hērian," Old High German "heriôn," and the Gothic "hazjan," which the fourth-century Bible translator Ulfilas used for praising God. English no longer has a descendant of this verb. Its meaning was taken over by "praise," a word borrowed from Old French in the Middle English period, and "herian" dropped out of use. The name survives mainly as a point of confusion. Readers often assume it is the ancestor of "harry," but "harry," meaning to harass or plunder, comes from a different Old English verb, "hergian," which meant "to ravage" or "to lay waste."