bring
/brɪŋ/
verb
Origin
Proto-Germanic
*brengan — to bring
Overview
Meaning Now
- to carry, convey, or conduct something or someone to the place where the speaker is or is directed
- to cause to be in a particular state or condition
- to lead to a result or consequence
Literal older meaning
to carry or conduct toward a destination
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Proto-Germanic → Old English → English
Earliest form
bringan
Earliest period
Old English
Journey
The verb descends from a common West Germanic root that replaced the older 'bring' construction in many related languages. Its past tense 'brought' is a classic example of an irregular weak verb that underwent significant sound changes (vowel shifting and consonant changes) during the Middle English period.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*bher-
“to carry”
- Proto-Germanic
*brengan
“to bring”
- Old English
bringan
“to bring, produce”
- Middle English
bringen
“to carry or deliver”
- Modern English
bring
“to move something towards a specific location”
Connections
Word parts
bring
root
carry/bring
Related across languages
German
bringen
to bring
Dutch
brengen
to bring
Old Norse
brengja
to bring
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Related to bring
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.