Note: Correction: This entry ought to be split into two entries, namely, ek adv. and ek conj. As it stands, senses 1. and 2. appear to be adverbial, while senses 3. and 4. are as conjunctions. Sense 4. seems to make an odd distinction between subsenses (a) and (b). The collocations ek swich and swich ek (see swich adv.) probably should be noted in sense 1., with additional quots. (e.g. Vsp. Hom: see swich adv.; in addition to the quots. to be found in the MED are the ones in the MED rejects: 59/27, 71/7, 129/30, 132/26, as well as those for Bod.Hom.Dom.Quadr., 44/22 and 48/3.)--notes per MJW

Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section may be incomplete and / or may need revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED. When this word is split into two entries, the forms will have to be re-evaluated, in any case.--per MLL