The Middle English and the Modern English Periods

chapman ("pedlar"), romare (pilgrim to Rome"), outridere ("rider visiting the manors of a monastery"), gypoun ("short jacket").

Losses could also affect the plane of content. Though the word survived, some of its meanings became obsolete. Thus Old English ift had the meaning "price of a wife" connected with one of the early meanings of the verb yfan "give in marriage". (New English "give"). Old English sellan lost the meaning "give" which it could express in Old English alongside "sell". Old English talu meant "number, series" and "story, narrative", while its Middle English and New English descendant tale retained only the latter meanings.

Though losses proper can be illustrated by numerous examples in all periods, they played a less important role in the development of the vocabulary than replacements and additions. It has been calculated that from 80% to 85% of the Old English words went out of use in the succeeding periods. Most of these words were not simply lost. They were replaced by other words of the same or similar meanings. The replacement came as a result of the co-existence and rivalry of synonyms and the ultimate selection of one of the rivals. Thus old English