Hweorfan

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Old English verb meaning to turn around or revolve ; to roam or move about from place to place without a fixed course
2. An Old English verb for turning or rotating in a circle ; for wandering or journeying about with no set destination
3. Meaning, in Old English, to spin or revolve around a point ; also to go roaming or travel about aimlessly

Etymology: Old English "hweorfan" meant to turn, go round, or wander, and its trace survives mainly in the noun "hwerf," which referred to a bend, a dwelling, or the bank of a river. That noun became Middle English "wharf," meaning a shore where boats could be moored. The connection to the verb is likely but not certain, since the noun's sense narrowed toward the curving edge of water where ships tied up. The verb itself did not survive into modern English. Its meaning of turning was taken over by "turn," from Old English "turnian," which was borrowed from Latin "tornare." The "hw" spelling of Old English reflects a sound that later simplified to "wh" in spelling and then mostly to "w" in pronunciation.