Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of En?

\En-\ 1. [F. en-, L. in.] A prefix signifying in or into, used in many English words, chiefly those borrowed from the French. Some English words are written indifferently with en-or in-. For ease of pronunciation it is commonly changed to em-before p, b, and m, as in employ, embody, emmew. It is sometimes used to give a causal force, as in enable, enfeeble, to cause to be, or to make, able, or feeble; and sometimes merely gives an intensive force, as in enchasten. See {In-}. 2. A prefix from Gr. ? in, meaning in; as, encephalon, entomology. See {In-}.
\-en\ 1. A suffix from AS. -an, formerly used to form the plural of many nouns, as in ashen, eyen, oxen, all obs. except oxen. In some cases, such as children and brethren, it has been added to older plural forms. 2. A suffix corresponding to AS. -en and -on, formerly used to form the plural of verbs, as in housen, escapen. 3. A suffix signifying to make, to cause, used to form verbs from nouns and adjectives; as in strengthen, quicken, frighten. This must not be confused with -en corresponding in Old English to the AS. infinitive ending -an. 4. [AS. -en; akin to Goth. -eins, L. -inus, Gr. ?.] An adjectival suffix, meaning made of; as in golden, leaden, wooden. 5. [AS. -en; akin to Skr. -na.] The termination of the past participle of many strong verbs; as, in broken, gotten, trodden.
\En\, n. (Print.) Half an em, that is, half of the unit of space in measuring printed matter. See {Em}.