Obs. [Early ME. tawn-e(n, taun-e(n, aphetic form of *at-awne(n, ataune(n, f. AT- pref.1 + awne(n, in Ormin awwnenn, AWN(E v.2, to show, exhibit. OE. *awnian has not been found, but ME. t-awnen is parallel to MLG., MDu., LG. t-ônen, Du. t-oonen, MHG. z-ounen to show. These point to an OTeut. *at-awnôjan, as a by-form of Goth. at-augjan (OS. t-ogian, OE. æt-eowan, æt-iewan) to bring before the eyes, to show, f. OTeut. *augon-, augn-, awn-, stems of augon- eye. See Feist, Got. Etymol., s.v. Augö, Brugmann, ed. 2, § 165, § 681, Schade, s.v. zougan, Franck, s.v. toon, toonen.]
trans. To show, manifest, exhibit.
c. 1220. Bestiary, 767. Ful wel he [Christ] taunede his luue to man.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 636. God … Taunede him in ðe walkene a-buuen Rein-bowe. Ibid., 1022. Ðis time oðer ȝer Sal ic me to ðe taunen her. Ibid., 2034. To tawnen ðe ðe soðe her-bi. Ibid., 3444. On oðer daiȝes morȝen quile, God tauned moysi quat he wile.
