▪ I. awn, n.
(ɔːn)
Forms: 3 agune, 4–7 awne, 5 awene, (avene, nawn), 6 aane, ane, aune, 7 hawne, 8 ang, 7– awn.
[apparently a. ON. ögn, pl. agnar str. f. (Sw. agn, Da. avn(e); cf. OHG. agana, MHG. agene, agne, ane, mod.G. ahne, Goth. ahana. The OE. form does not occur.]
The delicate spinous process, or ‘beard,’ that terminates the grain-sheath of barley, oats, and other grasses; extended in Bot. to any similar bristly growth.
| a 1300 W. de Biblesworth in Wright Voc. 155 Des arestes, fro agunes. c 1375 ? Barbour St. Blasius 345 Quha-sa-euire in þare throt Seknes has, awne ore mot Ore ony-kine perplexite. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 18 Avene of corn (v.r. awene, awne), arista. c 1450 in Wright Voc. 233/2 Hec arista, a nawn. 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §34 Polerde wheate hath noo anis. 1562 Turner Herbal ii. 17 a, Y⊇ barley eare..hath longe aunes. 1662 Fuller Worthies ii. 189 Not that the Hawnes thereof are Spears to fright the Mildew from it, but advantageous Gutters to slide it away the sooner. 1737 Bracken Farriery (1756) I. xi. 103 A Brush made of a few Rye or Barley-angs. 1805 J. Luccock Nat. Wool 37 The singular hooked awn, or spinous termination of the scales of the receptacle [of the teazle]. 1870 Hooker Stud. Flora 230 Anthers with dorsal awns, Whortleberry, Bilberry. |
b. Comb. awn-like a., resembling an awn.
| 1879 Jefferies Wild Life in S.C. 227 The awn-like seeds of other [grasses]. |
▪ II. awn, v.1
(ɔːn)
[f. prec. n.]
To get rid of the awns. Cf. to shell (peas). Hence awning vbl. n.
| 1807 Vancouver Agric. Devon (1813) 172 The awning iron is..used, previous to the last winnowing of the barley. |
▪ III. † awn(e, v.2 Obs.
[Found in Ormin only. Of obscure formation; related to Goth. augjan, OHG. augan, ougan, MHG. ougen, OS. ôgian, OFris. auwa, OE. éawan (cf. atew). Mätzner says that MHG. had also a form ougenen as a variant of ougen.]
trans. To put before a person's eyes; to show, manifest. refl. To manifest oneself, appear.
| c 1200 Ormin 7649 Þurrh whamm shall maniȝ dærne þohht Beon oppnedd all & awwnedd. Ibid. 9607 Nu sket shall Godess Sune Crist Himm awwnenn her onn eorþe. |
▪ IV. awn, v.3
(ɔːn)
[Back-formation from awning.]
a. intr. To hang as or like an awning. b. trans. To cover or shelter with an awning. Said also of the awning itself. Cf. awned ppl. a.2 So ˈawning ppl. a.
| a 1839 Galt Demon Destiny (1840) vii. 48 The awning clouds were as a cavern's ceil. 1844 Thackeray Wks. (1900) XIII. 213 Trafalgar Square is to be awned in. 1890 Longm. Mag. Apr. 630 Trust Mrs. Robson for seeing that her guests are well awned on a night like this. 1904 Daily Chron. 8 July 7/3 The ball rested..on the canvas that goes to awn the first floor. |
▪ V. awn(e
obs. form of own.