Forms: 1 earn, 3 ærn, 3–4 arn(e, 3–6 ern, (4 eerne, 4–6 eren), 8–9 earn, 4– erne. [OE. earn, corresp. to MLG. arn (Du. arend), ON. ǫrn str. masc.:—OTeut. *arnu-z. OTeut. had also a synonymous *aron- wk. masc., whence OHG. aro (MHG. are, mod.G. aar), ON. ari, Goth. ara. Cf. OSlav. orilŭ, Lith. erelis eagle, Gr. ὄρνις bird.]
1. An eagle; in mod. use chiefly the Golden Eagle or the Sea-Eagle (see EAGLE).
a. 1000. Elene, 29 (Gr.). Urigfeðera earn sang ahof.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. xxiv. 28. Swa hwær swa hold byð, þæder beoð earnas ʓegaderude.
c. 1200. Ormin, 6056. Forr ærn maȝȝ fleȝhenn i þe lifft Full heȝhe towarrd heoffne.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 196. Vre widerwines beoð swifture þen þe earnes.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 13444 (Cott.). For-þi to þe arn lickest es he.
c. 1325. Chron. Eng., 156, in Ritson, Metr. Rom., II. 276. Ther spac an ern [a] prophecie.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 35. As þe eerne clepynge hise briddis.
a. 1455. Houlate, xxv. Ernes ancient of air kingis that croond is.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XII. v. 64. For Jovis foule, the ern, com sorand by.
1555. Eden, Decades W. Ind. (Arb.), 315. Erens or eagles.
1565. Golding, Ovid’s Met., VI. (1593), 144. The scarefull erne With hooked talents trussing up a hare among the ferne.
1744. Preston, Zetland, in Phil. Trans., XLIII. 62. There are very large Eagles, which they call Earns.
1813. Hogg, Queen’s Wake, 97. He saw … A sight that scared the erne away.
1869. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), III. xiv. 344. Men told … how … ravens and ernes sat on the stern of every ship.
2. Comb. erne-fern, the Brake (Pteris aquilina); erne-hued a., having the color of an eagle; ernestone = AËTITES.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1698. Erne hwed he watz & al ouer-brawden.
1587. Harrison, England, III. xii. (1878), II. 79. At this season there are found in England the Aetites (in English called the ernestone).
