A verb appearing in notes on the future tense from 1969 meaning “will” and used to indicate agreement as in: linnathon? “will you sing?” answered athon “I will” (PE22/167). It is related to the future suffix -ath(a) and was based on the root √ÞĀ̆/AÞA “to be willing, consent, agree” (PE22/165). Tolkien said that “apart from this athon ‘yes, I will’ (or in plur. athof, athab) the verb atha- was no longer free”, indicating that this verb could only be used independently in statements of agreement: “I/we will [do so]”. Otherwise it was limited to its use as a future suffix.