WEAK VERBS.

255.  Those weak verbs which add _-d_ or _-ed_ to form the past tense and past participle, and have no change of vowel, are so easily recognized as to need no special treatment.  Some of them are already given as secondary forms of the strong verbs.

But the rest, which may be called irregular weak verbs, need some attention and explanation.

256.  The irregular weak verbs are divided into two classes,—­

[Sidenote:  The two classes of irregular weak verbs.]

(1) Those which retain the _-d_ or _-t_ in the past tense, with some change of form for the past tense and past participle.

(2) Those which end in _-d_ or _-t_, and have lost the ending which formerly was added to this.

The old ending to verbs of Class II. was _-de_ or _-te_; as,—­

     This worthi man ful wel his wit bisette [used].—­CHAUCER.

     Of smale houndes hadde she, that sche fedde With rosted
     flessh, or mylk and wastel breed.—­Id.

This ending has now dropped off, leaving some weak verbs with the same form throughout:  as set, set, set; put, put, put.

257.  Irregular Weak Verbs.—­Class I.

  Present Tense. Past Tense. Past Participle.

bereave bereft, bereave bereft, bereaved beseech besought besought burn burned, burnt burnt buy bought bought catch caught caught creep crept crept deal dealt dealt dream dreamt, dreamed dreamt, dreamed dwell dwelt dwelt feel felt felt flee fled fled have had had (once haved) hide hid hidden, hid keep kept kept kneel knelt knelt lay laid laid lean leaned, leant leaned, leant leap leaped, leapt leaped, leapt leave left left lose lost lost make made (once maked) made mean meant meant pay paid paid pen [inclose] penned, pen penned, pent say said said seek sought