verb
bren
brehn
Bren (verb) means (archaic, dialectal) To burn or set ablaze. Example: “The old ballad tells of a village that bren to the ground in a single night.”
verb
1
(archaic, dialectal) To burn or set ablaze.
"The old ballad tells of a village that bren to the ground in a single night."
name
1
A short form of the given names Brenda or Brendan.
"Everyone at work just calls him Bren."
How to use bren
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old word meaning "to burn," now mostly obsolete except in dialect; today it's far more common as a nickname for Brenda or Brendan.
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- brens
- Past tense
- brenned, brent
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The old ballad tells of a village that _____ to the ground in a single night.
Etymology
From Middle English brennen, itself from Old Norse brenna — a doublet of the modern word "burn," which comes from the same root.
Rhymes for bren
See all rhymes for bren →Frequently asked questions
What does “bren” mean?
The word “bren” means (archaic, dialectal) To burn or set ablaze. In plain terms, an old word meaning "to burn," now mostly obsolete except in dialect; today it's far more common as a nickname for Brenda or Brendan.
How do you pronounce “bren”?
“Bren” is pronounced brehn (/bɹɛn/ in IPA).
How do you use “bren” in a sentence?
Here is “bren” used in a sentence: “The old ballad tells of a village that bren to the ground in a single night.”
What part of speech is “bren”?
Depending on how it is used, “bren” can be a verb and a name.
Where does the word “bren” come from?
The word “bren” comes from Middle English. From Middle English brennen, itself from Old Norse brenna — a doublet of the modern word "burn," which comes from the same root.
How many meanings does “bren” have?
“Bren” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: (archaic, dialectal) To burn or set ablaze.
