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ferrule [ferrule 词源字典]: ferrule: [17] Despite appearances, ferrule ‘metal cap on the end of a stick’ has no etymological connection with Latin ferrum ‘iron’, although its present form has been heavily influenced by it. It is an alteration of an earlier virolle, which was borrowed in the 15th century from Old French. The Old French word in turn came from Latin viriola ‘little bracelet’, a diminutive form of viriae ‘bracelet’.
[ferrule etymology, ferrule origin, 英语词源]
brass (n.): Old English bræs "brass, bronze," originally in reference to an alloy of copper and tin (now bronze), later and in modern use an alloy of two parts copper, one part zinc. A mystery word, with no known cognates beyond English. Perhaps akin to French brasser "to brew," because it is an alloy. It also has been compared to Old Swedish brasa "fire," but no sure connection can be made. Yet another theory connects it with Latin ferrum "iron," itself of obscure origin.

As brass was unknown in antiquity, use of the word in Bible translations, etc., likely means "bronze." The Romans were the first to deliberately make it. Words for "brass" in other languages (such as German Messing, Old English mæsling, French laiton, Italian ottone) also tend to be difficult to explain.

The meaning "effrontery, impudence" is from 1620s. Slang sense of "high officials" is first recorded 1899. The brass tacks that you get down to (1897) probably are the ones used to measure cloth on the counter of a dry goods store, suggesting precision. Slang brass balls "toughness, courage" (emphatically combining two metaphors for the same thing) attested by 1960s.
farrier (n.): 1560s, "one who shoes horses," from Middle French ferrier "blacksmith," from Latin ferrarius "blacksmith," noun use of adjective meaning "of iron," from ferrum "iron" (in Medieval Latin, also "horseshoe"); see ferro-. An earlier form of it in English was ferrer, ferrour "ironsmith" (late 12c. as a surname), from Old French ferreor, from Medieval Latin ferrator "blacksmith."
ferric (adj.): 1799, "pertaining to or extracted from iron," from Latin ferrum "iron" (see ferro-) + -ic. Especially of iron with a valence of three.
ferrite (n.): "compound of ferric oxide and another metallic oxide," 1851, from Latin ferrum "iron" (see ferro-) + -ite (2).
ferro-: before vowels ferr-, word-forming element indicating the presence of or derivation from iron, from Latin ferro-, comb. form of ferrum "iron," which is of unknown origin. Possibly of Semitic origin, via Etruscan [Klein]; Watkins suggests "possibly borrowed (via Etruscan) from the same obscure source as OE bræs "brass." Also sometimes especially indicative of the presence of iron in the ferrous state; ferri- indicating iron in the ferric state.
ferrous (adj.): "pertaining to or containing iron," 1865, from Latin ferreus "made of iron," from ferrum "iron" (see ferro-). In chemistry, "containing iron," especially with a valence of two. Contrasted with ferric.
ferrule (n.): "metal cap on a rod," 1610s, ferule, earlier verrel (early 15c.), from Old French virelle "ferrule, collar" (12c. Modern French virole), from Medieval Latin viriola "bracelet," diminutive of Latin viriae "bracelets," from a Gaulish word akin to Old Irish fiar "bent, crooked," from PIE *wi-ria-, from root *wei- (1) "to turn, twist" (see wire (n.)). Spelling influenced by Latin ferrum "iron."
iron (n.): Old English isærn (with Middle English rhotacism of -s-) "the metal iron; an iron weapon," from Proto-Germanic *isarnan (cognates: Old Saxon isarn, Old Norse isarn, Middle Dutch iser, Old High German isarn, German Eisen) "holy metal" or "strong metal" (in contrast to softer bronze) probably an early borrowing of Celtic *isarnon (compare Old Irish iarn, Welsh haiarn), from PIE *is-(e)ro- "powerful, holy," from PIE *eis "strong" (cognates: Sanskrit isirah "vigorous, strong," Greek ieros "strong").
Right so as whil that Iren is hoot men sholden smyte. [Chaucer, c. 1386]
Chemical symbol Fe is from the Latin word for the metal, ferrum (see ferro-). Meaning "metal device used to press or smooth clothes" is from 1610s. The adjective is Old English iren, isern. To have (too) many irons in the fire "to be doing too much at once" is from 1540s. Iron lung "artificial respiration tank" is from 1932.
ferrate: "A salt in which the anion contains both iron (typically ferric iron) and oxygen", Mid 19th century: from Latin ferrum 'iron' + -ate¹.
pedalfer: "A soil in which there is no layer of accumulated calcium carbonate, but in which oxides of iron and aluminium have tended to accumulate (usually acidic and characteristic of humid climates)", 1920s; earliest use found in Curtis Marbut (1863–1935). From pedo- + al- + classical Latin fer- (in ferrum iron: see ferro-).