+RPRBANHARAR RS xford CONCISE DICTIONARY OF ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY THREAAAR Ligstiaara uinaat Whip ja omen area en me SS +e Seis RF Reference books from Oxford arc renowned the world over for their quaity, authority, and reliability. . astapsae. ji iil ii Tt / Mn ull a ft: 23.00 at — Daily Telegraph "HH SB BA) Ria He Hl Oxford Concise Dictionary of English Etymology APES aR he talited by T.F.HOAD eo J. ME SL IR Se FRE Jaa _ShunoncrncceOMaoEs Oxford Concise Dictionary of English Etymology Edited by TF. HOAD Oaford New Yark OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS BENE CIP) HOE CURIE, SEK FCN) WET CHoad, T. FD ESHER, 2000 ARR) hisC: Oxfod Concise Dictionary of Enelish Etymology ISBN 7-31080-003-5 Lethe TL IL. SiR ia UE BL TV. H313.9-51 + IRR SPB IECIPR HS (20009 38744035 By. 09-1999-311-5 HER SetT, boobed y oe A at me 200M EET) es ro aE Incas foorr tees ee 8 Eg Vrms spac my pey WR cok oti BR. 00011 Ho. NHN mrowas 903 = TMG “RI TIC TTR, TABU. A. LRA Oxfard University Press, Great Clarendon Street, Oxford axe 6OF Oxford New Fort Oxburd ig 0 trade mark of Oxfined University Press © Oxford University Press 1996 Eira publishod 1985 First issued ts anh Ostord University Pross paperback 1993 aelesued in new covers 1986 AM rights cesersed. No part of this pmblioation may be regroduced. oad in a relvieral -yttem, o¢ Pranamitied, 36 unt (erm OF BY an) RECRS, veto! ihe pitor persiisston vcrlting of Oxfurd University Preis. 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Rngtish language ttymotaes Dictionaries. f. Htad, Th. 422703 del) PEIS80.C6E 1693 2 ANITA TSBN 9 19 862187 X TEDW 8 19 263098 SpbR.i Published ty perrissiea of the Oxfond University Fess Licenced forsale in the People's Republic of Cina only, nee for sale elsemtcre. STE SANA ek A PR Seger AR CNP HALA DeROSIER Se FE HB ARES 2 PERSIE ACTOR AN SN A SUA. ARPT EME Ce OOK. But, AE 2H Se aoe id PAB ACI Soar PL ALS | ae ee es, AME OS Rae SA HBOS OS PEELED Sets RIAA. RW RUA RT 52 ey, FAL BE AUS RL RET a Aa ia, EAT RTM LARUE Se A UME Te yk DBGEE A ALN EA AR A AERUUY e Paae LAIC a BPR ae PRE A ae ALR F.C. H. AND. D.M.H. Introduction Tris dictionary is based upon the Oxford Dictionary of English Exymology (1968). compiled by C. T. Onions with the assistance of G. W. 8. Friedrichsen and R. W. Burchfield. It was the lata Dr Friedrichsen whe first produced a draft for a concise version of that dictionary, and the present editor took over the work in 1977 In general. the book remains faithful to Dr Friedrichsen’s plan, although & good many changes of detail and of a broader kind have been made, for which the present editor is alone accmuntable The Intention is that each entry should give a concise statement of the route by which its headword entered the English language, together with, where appropriate, a brief account of its develapraent in English. In each cave. the headword is followed by a figure in Roman numerals indicating the century in which the word is first recorded in English, or if definitions are provided Lhese are followed by figures in Roman numerals indicating the centuries i which the various senses are first evidenced. In the case of words ot senses recorded from the Old English period (¢.700-c.1100), however, these are labelled simply “OE.” (or at most ‘late OE."), vinve the nature of the surviving materials usually makes any closer dating impracticable Definitions have not been provided for wards whose senses have undergone ne major change in English, and whose meanings are likely fo be readily ascertainable hy most readers. The same practice has been adopted m the case of many technical and scientific words, whose senses thay be quickly discovered by recourse to a smatl English dic. tionary. No attempt has been made to record all the modern senses of words for which detinitions are provided, since these are frequently of secondary importance in tracing the etymology and history of the words in question, A good many early spellings of words have been included, usually after the relevant Roman numeral denoting the century of first eccurrence. Such spellings have in particular been included where they help to elucidste the origin and development of particular wards. This dictlonary distinguishes three principal kinds of process in the evolution of words: {1) The normal development of a word within a given language, according to the regular processes of change in that language. Thus, English guuse is explained as the normal development of the word “sans In the preiretary Germanic language ftom which English is siti INTRODUCTION descended, and Gmc. *sans- is in turn the normal development of an earlier Indo-European *ghans-. (Q) The adoption of a word from ane language into some other laa. guage. Thus, Eng. brave is explained as an adoption (‘borrowing’) of French brave, which in turn is an adoption of Italian bravo. @) The formation of a word on some existing word or element by means of a derivational device, or by compounding. Thus, Eng. allevi- ute is explained az having been formed on the past participial stem (alleviat-) of the late Latin verb alieviére. by means of the derivational suffix -ale, while ailevidre is in turn formed on the Latin adjective Jevis by means of the derivational prefix al. The Eng. compound nightmare was formed by the combining of night and Middle English mare incubus’. ‘The symbols used. for brevity, to denote these thres processes are listed below. I1 is, of course. not always possible to reduce the account of the origins and development of words to a simple formula, and where necessary further explanation has been given. A large number of related and derivative farms has been included, at the ends of the various main entries, although st would be impossible In a dictionary of this size to offer anything like a comprehensive treatment of such forms. In the explanation of derivatives, etc., ‘So .." normally implies that the source-Janguage(s) of the derivative and of the headword of the entry are the same; the language(s) are not usvally named again, nor are the specific forms from which the related or derivative words in English descend usually cited. ‘Hence . . ° implies that the derivative is formed on the English headword, or @ previously cited English derivative. No one could compile an adequate etymological dictionary of English on the basis of his or her individual knowledge alone, and the present dictionary 1s heavily dependent on the work of the editors of many other dictionaries in a wide range of languages. and on that of the authors of a large number of scholarly books and arricles. A humber of individuals have. furthermore. been generous in answering questions and giving advice. Grateful acknowledge ment is here made to the following, for assistance of various kinds: Professor L. V. Berman, the late Professor A. J. Bliss, Professor T. Burrow, Dr D. H. Evans, Professor 7. Light, Professor W. B. Lockwood, and the late Professor Sir Ralph Tumer. Apology is offered to anyone who should have appeared in the hist bul 1s nut named bere. Particular thanks are due to three people. Dr R. W. Burchfield. CBE, and Professor E. G, Stanley have been constant sources of advice and support. And Sir Edward Playfair has been of exceptional assistance in supplying information and answering enguiries. princtpally (but by