Hempen

//ˈhɛmpən// adj

adj ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Made of hemp dated, not-comparable

    "In fowle reproch of knighthoodes fayre degree, / About his neck an hempen rope he weares, / That with his gliſtring armes does ill agree;"

  2. 2
    Related to hempen ropes, i.e., to hanging as capital punishment. not-comparable

    "[…] but rid himself also of the companionship of this ruffianly Sir Crispin, to whom no doubt a hempen justice would be meted."

Adjective
  1. 1
    having or resembling fibers especially fibers used in making cordage such as those of jute wordnet

Example

More examples

"We breach the walls, and ope the town inside. / All set to work, and to the feet below / fix wheels, and hempen ropes around the neck they throw. / Mounting the walls, the monster moves along, / teeming with arms. Boys, maidens joy around / to touch the ropes, and raise the festive song."

Etymology

From Middle English hempen, hempyn, from Old English *hænepen (“made of hemp, hempen”), equivalent to hemp + -en. Cognate with Dutch hennepen (“hempen”), German hanfen (“hempen”). More at hemp.

Related phrases

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.