An archaic or dialectal form meaning to heat or make hot.
From Old English hǽtan, related to the word 'heat.' This is an older variant form that appears in regional dialects and historical texts, built on the same root as our modern word 'heat.'
This archaic verb shows how English once had more forms for everyday actions—you could 'hethen' something the same way you'd 'redden' or 'darken' something, creating a whole family of verbs that all mean 'make this quality.'
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