▪ I. † ˈreken, a. Obs.
[OE. recen = OFris. rekon and LG. reken (of a street) clear, open, unobstructed (see Richthofen), perh. related to OS. rekôn to put in order. In Eng. only as a poetic word of very lax application.]
1. Rapid, violent, terrible. (OE. only.)
| c 900 Cynewulf Christ 809 Blac rasetteð recen reada leᵹ. c 1000 Ags. Ps. (Th.) cv. 18 [God] worhte..recene wundur on þam Readan Sæ. |
2. Of persons: Ready, prompt; straightforward, upright.
| a 1000 Waldere ii. 26 Mæᵹ siᵹe syllan se ðe symle byð recen and rædfest. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3485 Cumeð her forð, and beð alle reken, And lereð wel quat he sal speken. a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. v. 27 He is..Rekene ase Regnas resoun to rede. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 738 If fyue faylen of fyfty þe noumbre, & þe remnaunt be reken, how restes þy wylle? 13.. S. Erkenwolde 245 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1881) 271, I was ryȝtwis & rekene & redy of þe laghe. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 4081 The rekeneste redy mene of þe Rownde Table. |
b. Of language: ? Honest, sincere.
| 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 756, I schal my þro steke..& my rankor refrayne for þy reken wordez. |
3. Smooth, elegant, beautiful, gay.
| 13.. E.E. Allit. P. A. 5 So rounde, so reken in vche araye, So smal, so smoþe her sydez were. Ibid. 906, & þou so ryche a reken rose. Ibid. B. 1082 Rial ryngande rotes & þe reken fyþel. |
▪ II. reken(en
obs. forms of reckon v.