ABSTRACT
From Low German wesen, Danish derived Væsen. From Old Rune Danish wæsa, wæra, and Old Danish wæræ, Danish derived være. From the same sources Old English derived wesan, and modern English derived the preterite was (singular) and were (plural).1 The lexical meaning of the noun Væsen in Danish is (1) an entity or individual, such as a thing, a human, another organism, or God; or (2) an individual’s general character or natural disposition, as revealed through external behavior or internal spiritual life. Used as a verb, the lexical meaning is (1) to exist or to occur in reality; (2) to be in a settled state, condition, location, or position; or (3) to possess a certain predicate, such as a quality, condition, or function.2
