To believe, opine, suppose;—often with counterfactual force: (a) with noun clause as direct obj., either with or without introductory that: to believe (that sth. is or was the case, sth. did or will occur, etc.); be under the misapprehension (that sth. is or was the case, etc.), believe erroneously; (b) with noun clause as direct obj. introduced by as, but, hou, what, or whether: to suppose (how sth. might be done, whether sth. should occur, etc.); also with noun clause introduced by jussive subjunctive [1st quot.]; (c) with noun clause as direct obj. where the verb wenen and the noun clause are embedded in a modifying clause;—sometimes with pleonastic that [some or all exx. could also be construed as parenthetical intrans. constructions; cp. (h) below]; (d) with inf. phrase as direct obj.: to consider oneself (to be or have been sth., to be doing or have done sth.); (e) with inf. phrase preceded by noun or pron. as subj. of the inf., the entire construction functioning as the direct obj.: to fancy (sb., oneself, or sth. to be or have been sth.); suppose (sb. or oneself to be doing or have done sth.); (f) with pron. and adj. complement: to suppose (sb. slain, sth. to be true, etc.); also, with pron. and prep. phrase: believe (sth. for a truth) [quot. c1275]; (g) in clauses with so and thus, with ref. to something that precedes: ~ so (thus), to make such an assumption, believe thus, think so; (h) in clauses with as, usu. with parenthetic ref. to an assumption: as ich wene, as me weneth, etc., as I suppose, as one supposes, etc.; (i) in parenthetic uses, usu. with reduced semantic content: ich wene, he wenede, me mai ~, etc., I suppose (he supposed, etc.); (j) in proverbs and prov. expressions.

To expect, anticipate, hope;—often with counterfactual force: (a) with noun clause as direct obj., usu. introduced by that: to expect (that sth. will or would occur); (b) in interrog. constructions expressing incredulity at the expectation: to expect reasonably (that sth. will or would be so); even imagine (that sth. could be); (c) with inf. phrase as direct obj.: to expect (to do or be sth.); hope (to do or be sth.);—also refl. [quot. a1382]; also with inf. phrase preceded by rel. pron. [quot. ?a1425]; also with finite verb in place of perfect inf. [quot. c1450 ?C.d’Orl.]; (d) with simple obj.: to expect (sb. or sth.); hope for (sth.); also with noun clause or inf. phrase in apposition following [quots. c1275 & last]; (e) in temporal constructions: with noun clause as direct obj.: to anticipate (at what hour sth. will occur); also, with rel. pron. that as direct obj.: the time that ye wenen, at the time that you expect; (f) in comp. and sup. constructions, without obj.: to have an expectation, expect; also used in an other than construction [quot. c1300]; (g) in clause with as: as we wenden, as we expected; (h) in proverbs and prov. expressions.

(a) In explicit contrast to witen, thinken, etc.: merely to suppose (that sb. had done sth., that sth. is so, etc.), hope, etc.; also, hope (sth. rather than treat it as a certainty) [1st quot.]; (b) in explicit contrast to witen, used parenthetically or in rime tags: ich (ye) wene, I (you) suppose; witen and (not) ~, to witen and nought to ~; (c) ~ and hopen, to assume as well as hope (that sth. is so); ~ and trouen, suppose.

To make a presumptuous assumption [cp. overwenen v.; some or all exx. could also be construed as sense 1.]: (a) with noun clause as direct obj., usu. introduced by that: to presume (that one is wise or spiritually sound); assume arrogantly (that one can do sth., that sth. is so, that God will do sth., etc.);—also refl.; (b) with inf. phrase as direct obj.: to presume (to be or to have sth.); presume an ability (to do sth.); also, with inf. phrase preceded by noun or pron.: presume (one’s skill to be sufficient to do sth.) [quot. a1500]; presume (oneself to be wise) [quot. c1450]; (c) with refl. pron. and adj. complement: to presume (oneself wise); also, with simple obj.: presume (more of oneself).

(a) To conclude (that sth. is so);—usu. with counterfactual force; also without that; (b) to judge (that sb. was sth., sth. was so); with inf.: judge (sb. to be sth., sb. to wish to do sth.), deem; with noun or adj. complement: judge (sb. a nice man, oneself a wretch, oneself not prosperous, sth. to be sth., sth. best, etc.); deem; also, with simple obj.: determine (sth. about sb. or sth.); reckon (sb. among a group) [quot. a1400]; (c) to realize (sth., that sth. is so, etc.);—often used of mistaken impressions; also, suspect (sth.); conjecture (that sth. is so); ~ abouten; also in comp. constructions with than, without obj.: realize or suspect; (d) to give credence to (sth.); be credulous about (sth.); trust (sth.); also, put trust (in sth.) [quot. a1393]; ~ and trouen, form opinions and beliefs; unable to be wened, incredible; (e) to doubt (sth.); (f) weninge resoun, ?the faculty of discrimination.

In misc. senses: (a) to impute (sth. to sb.); (b) to esteem (sb.), have regard for; also, incline (toward sb.) [1st quot.]; (c) glossing OE smēagan to consider, examine, etc.; (d) ppl. weninge, ?suggesting (to sb. that sth. is so); ?impers. it seeming (to sb. that sth. is so).