welk

Meanings

Verb

• Of a plant: to wither, wilt, decay.
• To diminish; to lose brightness, to wane.
• to soak, steep.
• to thrash, beat severely.
• To contract; to shorten.
• To form into wrinkles or ridges.

Noun

• Alternative of whelk

Origin

• From Middle English welken, probably from a continental Germanic language; compare Middle Dutch welken (Dutch welken) and Middle Low German welken. Cognate with German welken. Ultimately, from Proto-West Germanic *wilkijan, from Proto-Germanic *welkaz. Compare also Old English wealwian, Old English wlacu.