英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

string (n.)[string 词源字典]: Old English streng "line, cord, thread, string of a bow or harp," in plural "tackle, rigging; lineage, race," from Proto-Germanic *strangiz (cognates: Old Norse strengr, Danish streng, Middle Dutch strenge, Dutch streng, Old High German strang, German Strang "rope, cord"), from *strang- "taut, stiff," from PIE root *strenk- "tight, narrow." Gradually restricted by early Middle English to lines that are smaller than a rope. Sense of "a number of objects arranged in a line" first recorded late 15c.

Old English meaning "ligaments, tendons" is preserved in hamstring, heartstrings. Meaning "limitations, stipulations" (1888) is American English, probably from the common April Fool's joke of leaving a purse that appears to be full of money on the sidewalk, then tugging it away with an attached string when someone stoops to pick it up.

To pull strings "control the course of affairs" (1860) is from the notion of puppet theater. First string, second string, etc. in athletics (1863) is from archers' custom of carrying spare bowstrings in the event that one breaks. Strings "stringed instruments" is attested from mid-14c. String bean is from 1759; string bikini is from 1974.[string etymology, string origin, 英语词源]
string (v.): c. 1400, "to fit a bow with a string," from string (n.). Meaning "to thread (beads, etc.) on a string" is from 1610s. Of musical instruments from 1520s (stringed instrument is from c. 1600). To string (someone) along is slang from 1902; string (v.) in the sense "deceive" is attested in British dialect from c. 1812; perhaps ultimately from the musical instrument sense and with a notion of "to 'tune' someone (for some purpose)." Related: Stringed (later strung); stringing.
stringency (n.): 1829, from stringent + -cy.
stringent (adj.): c. 1600, "astringent," especially with reference to taste, from Latin stringentem (nominative stringens), present participle of stringere (2) "to compress, contract, bind or draw tight" (see strain (v.)). Of regulations, procedures, etc., 1846.
stringer (n.): early 15c., "one who makes bow-strings," agent noun from string (v.). Meaning "newspaper correspondent paid by length of copy" is from 1950, probably from earlier figurative sense of "one who strings words together" (1774).
stringy (adj.): 1660s, from string (n.) + -y (2). Related: Stringiness.
strip (v.): "make bare," early 13c., from Old English -striepan, -strypan "to plunder, despoil" (as in West Saxon bestrypan "to plunder"), from Proto-Germanic *straupijan (cognates: Middle Dutch stropen "to strip off, to ramble about plundering," Old High German stroufen "to strip off, plunder," German streifen "strip off, touch upon, to ramble, roam, rove"). Meaning "to unclothe" is recorded from early 13c. Intransitive sense from late 14c. Of screw threads, from 1839; of gear wheels, from 1873. Meaning "perform a strip-tease" is from 1929. Related: Stripped; stripping. Strip poker is attested from 1916, in a joke in "The Technology Monthly and Harvard Engineering Journal":
"Say, Bill how, did the game come out?"
"It ended in a tie."
"Oh, were you playing strip poker?"
strip search is from 1947, in reference to World War II prison camps.
strip (n.): "long, narrow, flat piece," mid-15c., "narrow piece of cloth," probably related to or from Middle Low German strippe "strap, thong," and from the same source as stripe (n.1). Sense extension to wood, land, etc. first recorded 1630s.

Sense in comic strip is from 1920. Airport sense is from 1936; race track sense from 1941. Meaning "street noted for clubs, bars, etc." is attested from 1939, originally in reference to Los Angeles' Sunset Strip. Strip mine (n.) attested by 1892, as a verb by 1916; so called because the surface material is removed in successive parallel strips.
strip-tease (n.): also striptease, 1936, perhaps a back-formation from stripteaser (1930); see strip (v.) + tease (n.). Strip (v.) and tease (v.) both were used in this sense in late 1920s. Life magazine used strippeuse (1938-40).
stripe (n.1): "a line or band in cloth," early 15c., from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German stripe "stripe, streak," from Proto-Germanic *stripan (cognates: Danish stribe "a striped fabric," German Streifen "stripe"), cognate with Old Irish sriab "stripe," from PIE root *streig- "to stroke, rub, press" (see strigil). Of soldiers' chevrons, badges, etc., attested from 1827. Stripes for "prison uniform" is by 1887, American English.
stripe (n.2): "a stroke or lash," early 15c., probably a special use of stripe (n.1), from the marks left by a lash. Compare also Dutch strippen "to whip," West Frisian strips, apparently cognate but not attested as early as the English word.
stripe (v.): "ornament with stripes," early 15c., from stripe (n.1). Compare Middle Flemish stripen, Middle Low German and Middle Dutch stripen. Related: Striped; striping.
striper (n.): "striped bass," 1945, from stripe (n.1).
stripling (n.): "a youth," late 14c., of uncertain origin, possibly from strip (n.1) "long, narrow piece," on the notion of "one who is slender as a strip, whose figure is not yet filled out" + -ling.
stripper (n.): 1580s, transitive, "person who strips" (the bark off trees, etc.), agent noun from strip (v.). Meaning "machine or appliance for stripping" is from 1835. Sense of "strip-tease dancer" is from 1930 (see strip-tease). Meaning "chemical for removing paint" is from 1937.
strive (v.): c. 1200, "quarrel, contend," from Old French estriver "to quarrel, dispute, resist, struggle, put up a fight, compete," from estrif, estrit "quarrel" (see strife). It became a strong verb (past tense strove) by rhyming association with drive, dive, etc. Meaning "try hard" is from early 14c. Related: Striving.
strobe (n.): 1942, shortening of stroboscope. As a shortened form of strobe light, from 1949. As an adjective from 1942.
strobic (adj.): "resembling a top," 1876, from Greek strobos (see stroboscope) + -ic.
stroboscope (n.): "instrument for studying motion by periodic light," 1896, from -scope + comb. form of Greek strobos "a twisting, act of whirling," from PIE *streb(h)- "to wind, turn" (see strophe). Earlier as the name of a similar device used as a "scientific toy" [OED]. Related: Stroboscopic (1846).
strode: past tense of stride (v.).