ern

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɜːn/
• (US) enPR: ûrn, IPA^(key): /ɝn/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)n
• Homophones: earn, erne, urn

Alteration of erne.

ern (plural erns)

1. Alternative spelling of erne

From Middle English ernen, from Old English irnan, iernan (“to run, move quickly”), metathetic variant of rinnan (“to run”). More at run.

• earn (Scotland)

ern (third-person singular simple present erns, present participle erning, simple past and past participle erned)

1. (Britain dialectal) To run; flow.
2. (Britain dialectal, Scotland) To (cause to) coagulate; curdle (milk) by adding rennet and applying heat.

Of obscure origin. Perhaps an alteration of erme, from Middle English ermen, from Old English yrman, ierman. Compare also Old Scots urn, uren. More at erme.

ern (third-person singular simple present erns, present participle erning, simple past and past participle erned)

1. (intransitive, obsolete) To stir with strong emotion; grieve; mourn.
2. (Britain dialectal, Scotland) To pain; torture.
3. (Britain dialectal, Scotland) (of the eyes) To cause to water; smart.

• erme

• -ner-, -ren, NRE, REN, RNE, ner, ren

ern (comparative ernari, superlative ernastur)

1. brisk, active