[a. OE. wen var. of wyn WIN sb.2] The name of the Old English runic letter Þ (= w) and of the manuscript form of this (Þ þ) in Old and early Middle English.

1

c. 1300.  McClean MS., in Mod. Lang. Rev. (1911), VI. 442. Wen . Þ . Þimman . Þepman . Þonie.

2

1705.  Wanley, Antiq. Lit. Septentr., Pref. † b 2. Quod a Runicis Thorn and Wen clauditur.

3

1758.  Wise, Some Enq. Europe, 145. Ð þ, Th or Thorn, and Þ Þ. W or Wen, are of Northern growth.

4

1884.  Einenkel, Life St. Kath., 125. The scribe took the wên of his original for a þorn.

5

1907.  J. E. Wells, Owl & Nightingale, 3. In a number of places thorn is dotted, and so is like wen.

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