This is the 7816th most frequent German word.
hegne
"Hegne" means "to protect," "to guard," or "to nurture" in English.
"Hegte" as the past tense form of "hegne" is used metaphorically to indicate that someone 'harbors' or 'holds' feelings or thoughts—here, doubt.
Er hegte Zweifel an der Echtheit des Gemäldes.
He harboured doubts about the authenticity of the painting.
The verb "hegt" denotes tending to or nurturing something, exemplifying care in the context of gardening.
Die Gärtnerin hegt ihre Pflanzen mit großer Sorgfalt.
The gardener tends to her plants with great care.
Here, "hegne" is used in its general meaning as 'to cherish' or 'to harbour' sentiments, conveying a strong and positive emotional connection.