"Brown" and other causative color verbs

Asked Dec 15 '20 at 13:41

Active Dec 15 '20 at 13:41

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There are several verbs in English meaning "to cause to become [a given color]". Most of these, it seems, end in the suffix "-en". There are other adjectives as well that use "-en" to create causative verbs; "harden" and "fasten" come to mind.

The verb meaning "to make brown, tthough, is simply "brown". I can't think of any other verb of this class that uses the bare adjective form without a suffix. Does "brown" have a different history than other causative verbs formed from adjectives? Or why did it, and seemingly only it, retain the adjective form?

asked Dec 15 '20 at 13:41

Matt Gutting

6,220

Well, one reason is that "brownen" would sound like a mumble. – Hot Licks Dec 15 '20 at 13:46
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I can only think of 'redden' and 'whiten'. 'Brownen' and 'greenen' would sound odd, but we don't say 'bluen' or 'yellowen' either. – Kate Bunting Dec 15 '20 at 13:50
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@KateBunting add "blacken" – Conrado Dec 15 '20 at 13:57
blue, entry 3 of 4, verb, "to make (something) blue in color: such as to dye, tint, or paint (something) blue" just like brown! Fun new word: of a woman: learned, intellectual //… the ladies were very blue and well-informed … – Conrado Dec 15 '20 at 14:04
@Conrado "I'm afraid I just blue myself." The joke would be completely ruined if it were "emblue" or "bluen." There may be a weak sound rule here - ends in vowel or [n], no -en; ends in consonant, -en. – TaliesinMerlin Dec 15 '20 at 14:08
There is also "pinken" (https://www.dictionary.com/browse/pinken). – LPH Dec 15 '20 at 14:08
A similar thing exists with 'embrown' which also means we make something brown in color, but we don't have words like emred, or emblack. – VKBoy Dec 15 '20 at 14:10
@LPH perfect, thanks! I didn't find that in my search, I'm afraid. :-( – Matt Gutting Dec 15 '20 at 15:06
Don't forget enlighten vs lighten. There are prefixal and suffixal grades. – John Lawler Dec 15 '20 at 17:33
How about the verb yellow. "Become yellow, especially with age." – GEdgar Dec 15 '20 at 17:51

"Brown" and other causative color verbs

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