Etymology

A form of besechen (first attested in the twelfth century; see DOE) influenced by seke.

PGmc Ancestor

*sōkjan-

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

sœkja 'seek, visit, advance, catch'
(ONP sǿkja (vb.))

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

Far søkja, Icel sækja, Norw søkja, Dan søge, Sw söka

OE Cognate

sēcan 'search for, enquire, ask for, look for'

Phonological and morphological markers

[absence of palatalization of */k/] (possibly diagnostic)

Summary category

CC2c

Attestation

Forms in k are fairly widespread in ME.

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

WA 311, 801*, 1075 etc.

Bibliography

MED bisẹ̄chen (v.), OED beseech (v.), de Vries sœkja, Mag. sækja, Orel *sōkjanan, Kroonen *sōkjan-, DOE, be-sēcan, AEW sēcan