gayn

adv.

‘promptly’

(Modern English )

Etymology

A usage of gayn (adj.)?

PGmc Ancestor

*gagni- 

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

gegn ‘straight, direct, ready, serviceable, kindly’
(ONP gegn (2) (adj.))

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

Icel gegn, Norw gjegn, ODan gjen, Dan dial gjen, Sw dial gen

OE Cognate

gēn (adj.) ‘direct, short’ 

Phonological and morphological markers

absence of palatalization of */ɡ/

Summary category

A1*c

Attestation

In ME, found especially in N and E texts and alliterative verse, but also elsewhere.

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

Gaw 1621

Most editors read Gaw 1621 as an adv., but could also be parsed as an adj., or as adv. in the sense 'towards, to meet with (him)' (with him understood): thus Wright 1935, McGee 331, Savage 1944: 349. 

Bibliography

MED gein (adv.) , OED gain (adv.1) , HTOED , Dance gayn (b)(adv.)