英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

breeches [breeches 词源字典]: breeches: [OE] The theoretical singular of this word, breech, comes from a form which in Old English was plural – brēc. Its unrecorded singular, which would have been *brōc, came from a prehistoric West and North Germanic *brōks. The word’s ultimate origin is not known, although some connect it with break; and it is possible that it was borrowed early on into Gaulish as brāca, the probable source of English bracket. The Old Norse descendant of the Germanic form, brók, was not only partly responsible for the Scottish version of breeches, breeks, but is also the source of brogue.
=> brogue[breeches etymology, breeches origin, 英语词源]
chess: chess: [13] The game of chess was named after its key move, in which the king is put in check. The plural of Old French eschec (from which we get check) was esches, which in Middle English became chess. (A roughly contemporary English term for the game was chequer, but this died out in the 15th century.) Old French eschec came ultimately from Persian shāh ‘king’, reflecting the game’s eastern origins. However, the terms for the game in Persian (chatrang) and Sanskrit (chaturanga) signify ‘four members of an army’ – namely, elephants, horses, chariots, and foot-soldiers.
=> check, cheque, exchequer
chest: chest: [OE] Chest comes ultimately from Greek kístē ‘box, basket’. In Latin this became cista (source of English cistern [13]). In prehistoric times the word was borrowed into Germanic as *kistā, which was the source of Old English cest. This still meant ‘box’, a sense which continued in isolation until the 16th century, when it was first applied to the ‘thorax’ – the basis of the metaphor presumably being that the ribs enclose the heart and lungs like a box. It has since replaced breast as the main term for the concept.
=> cistern
chestnut: chestnut: [16] The Greek word for ‘chestnut’ was kastanéā, which appears to have meant originally ‘nut from Castanea’ (in Pontus, Asia Minor) or ‘nut from Castana’ (in Thessaly, Greece). It came into English via Latin castanea and Old French chastaine, which in the 14th century produced the Middle English form chasteine or chesteine. Over the next two hundred years this developed to chestern, and in due course had nut added to it to produce the modern English form. Castana, the Spanish descendant of Latin castanea, is the source of castanet.
=> castanet
duchess: duchess: see duke
galoshes: galoshes: [14] In modern terms, galoshes might be etymologically rendered as ‘little French shoes’. The word comes from Old French galoche, which was an alteration of late Latin gallicula. This in turn was a diminutive form of Latin gallica, short for gallica solea ‘Gallic sandal, sandal from Gaul’ (the name Gaul, incidentally, and the Latin-based Gallic [17], come ultimately from prehistoric Germanic *walkhoz ‘foreigners’, which is related also to Walloon, walnut, and Welsh). The term galosh was originally used in English for a sort of clog; the modern sense ‘overshoe’ did not develop until the early 19th century.
=> gallic, walloon, walnut, welsh
hesitate: hesitate: [17] Etymologically, to hesitate is to become ‘stuck’. The word comes from Latin haesitāre, a derivative of haerēre ‘hold fast, stick’ (which gave English adhere). The underlying idea is of being ‘held back’, or in speech of ‘stammering’, and hence of being unable to act or speak promptly or decisively.
=> adhere
hessian: hessian: [19] In common with many other sorts of textile, such as denim, jersey, and worsted, hessian’s name reveals its place of origin. In this case it was Hesse, formerly a grand duchy, nowadays a state of West Germany, in the western central part of the country.
orchestra: orchestra: [17] In ancient Greece, the term orkhéstrā denoted a ‘semicircular space at the front of a theatre stage, in which the chorus danced’ (it was a derivative of the verb orkheisthai ‘dance’). English originally took it over (via Latin orchēstra) in this historical sense, but in the early 18th century orchestra began to be used for the ‘part of a theatre where the musicians played’, and hence by extension for the ‘group of musicians’ itself. The derivative orchestrate [19] was adapted from French orchestrer.
thesaurus: thesaurus: see treasure
these: these: [13] The Old English plural of this was thās or thōs. This evolved into those, which came to be used as the plural of that, and it was replaced as the plural of this by thise, formed from this with the plural ending -e, which in due course turned into these.
=> this
thesis: thesis: [14] Greek thésis meant literally a ‘placing’ or ‘laying down’ (it was derived from the verb tithénai ‘put, place’, which also gave English apothecary). It evolved metaphorically to ‘proposition’, and passed in this sense via late Latin thesis into English.
=> apothecary, bodega, boutique
adhesion (n.): 1620s, from French adhésion or directly from Latin adhaesionem (nominative adhaesio) "a sticking to," noun of action from past participle stem of adhaerare (see adherent (adj.)).
Adhesion is generally used in the material, and adherence in the metaphysical sense. [Johnson]
adhesive (adj.): 1660s, from French adhésif, formed in French from Latin adhaes-, past participle stem of adhaere (see adherent (adj.)).
adhesive (n.): 1881, from adhesive (adj.). Originally of postage stamps (adhesive stamp is attested from 1840). Of substances that cause to adhere by 1900.
alkahest (n.): "universal solvent sought by alchemists," 1640s, from French alcahest, from Medieval Latin alcahest, a pseudo-Arabic word coined by Paracelsus (see alchemy).
anaesthesia (n.): 1721, "loss of feeling," Modern Latin, from Greek anaisthesia "want of feeling, lack of sensation (to pleasure or pain)," from an- "without" (see an- (1)) + aisthesis "feeling," from PIE root *au- "to perceive" (see audience). As "a procedure for the prevention of pain in surgical operations," from 1846.
anaesthesiologist (n.): 1943, American English, from anaesthesiology + -ist.
anaesthesiology (n.): 1908, from anaesthesia + -ology.
Anesthesiology. This is the new term adopted by the University of Illinois defining "the science that treats of the means and methods of producing in man or animal various degrees of insensibility with or without hypnosis." ["Medical Herald," January, 1912]
anesthesia (n.): alternative spelling of anaesthesia (q.v.). See ae.
anesthesiologist (n.): alternative spelling of anaesthesiologist (q.v.). See ae.
anesthesiology (n.): alternative spelling of anaesthesiology (q.v.). See ae.
anthesis (n.): "full bloom," 1835, from Greek anthesis, noun of action from antheein "to blossom," from anthos "flower," (see anther).
antitheses (n.): plural of antithesis.
antithesis (n.): 1520s, from Late Latin antithesis, from Greek antithesis "opposition, resistance," literally "a placing against," also a term in logic and rhetoric, noun of action from antitithenai "to set against, oppose," a term in logic, from anti- "against" (see anti-) + tithenai "to put, place" (see theme).
apothesis (n.): 1811, from Greek apothesis "a laying up in store; a putting aside," noun of action from apotithenai "to lay aside," from apo- "off, away" (see apo-) + tithenai "to put, place" (see theme).
archduchess (n.): 1610s; see arch- + duchess. Also compare archduke.
bed-clothes (n.): also bedclothes, late 14c., from bed (n.) + clothes.
behest (n.): Old English behæs "a vow," perhaps from behatan "to promise" (from be- + hatan "command, call;" see cite) and confused with obsolete hest "command," which may account for the parasitic -t as well as the Middle English shift in meaning to "command, injunction" (late 12c.).
Bethesda: 1857, name of a pool in Jerusalem (John v:2), from Greek Bethesda, from Aramaic beth hesda "house of mercy," or perhaps "place of flowing water." Popular as a name for religious meeting houses among some Protestant denominations.
blithesome (adj.): 1724, from blithe + -some (1). An adjective from an adjective. Related: Blithesomely; blithesomeness.
breeches (n.): c. 1200, a double plural, from Old English brec "breeches," which already was plural of broc "garment for the legs and trunk," from Proto-Germanic *brokiz (cognates: Old Norse brok, Dutch broek, Danish brog, Old High German bruoh, German Bruch, obsolete since 18c. except in Swiss dialect), perhaps from PIE root *bhreg- (see break (v.)). The Proto-Germanic word is a parallel form to Celtic *bracca, source (via Gaulish) of Latin braca (aource of French braies), and some propose that the Germanic word group is borrowed from Gallo-Latin, others that the Celtic was from Germanic.

Expanded sense of "part of the body covered by breeches, posterior" led to senses in childbirthing (1670s) and gunnery ("the part of a firearm behind the bore," 1570s). As the popular word for "trousers" in English, displaced in U.S. c. 1840 by pants. The Breeches Bible (Geneva Bible of 1560) so called on account of rendition of Gen. iii:7 (already in Wyclif) "They sewed figge leaues together, and made themselues breeches."
britches (n.): 1905, from britch (1620s), an old variant of breeches.
cacoethes (n.): "itch for doing something," 1560s, from Latinized form of Greek kakoethes "ill-habit, wickedness, itch for doing (something)," from kakos "bad" (see caco-) + ethe- "disposition, character" (see ethos). Most famously, in Juvenal's insanabile scribendi cacoethes "incurable passion for writing."
catechesis (n.): from Greek katekhesis "instruction by word of mouth," from katekhein "to instruct orally," originally "to resound" (with sense evolution via "to sound (something) in someone's ear; to teach by word of mouth." From kata- "down" (in this case, "thoroughly") + ekhein "to sound, ring," from ekhe "sound," from PIE *(s)wagh- "to resound" (see echo (n.)). Related: Catachectic; catachectical.
chemosynthesis (n.): 1898, from chemo- + synthesis.
Chesapeake: from an Algonquian language, perhaps literally "great shellfish bay." Early spellings include Chesepiooc and Chesupioc.
Cheshire: 1086, Cestre Scire, from Chester + scir "district" (see shire). Cheshire cat and its proverbial grin are attested from 1770, but the signification is obscure.
I made a pun the other day, and palmed it upon Holcroft, who grinned like a Cheshire cat. (Why do cats grin in Cheshire?--Because it was once a county palatine, and the cats cannot help laughing whenever they think of it, though I see no great joke in it.) I said that Holcroft, on being asked who were the best dramatic writers of the day, replied, "HOOK AND I." Mr Hook is author of several pieces, Tekeli, &c. You know what hooks and eyes are, don't you? They are what little boys do up their breeches with. [Charles Lamb, letter to Thomas Manning, Feb. 26, 1808]
chess (n.): 13c., from Old French esches "chessmen," plural of eschec "game of chess, chessboard; checkmate" (see check (n.1)), from the key move of the game. Modern French still distinguishes échec "check, blow, rebuff, defeat," from plural échecs "chess."

The original word for "chess" is Sanskrit chaturanga "four members of an army" -- elephants, horses, chariots, foot soldiers. This is preserved in Spanish ajedrez, from Arabic (al) shat-ranj, from Persian chatrang, from the Sanskrit word.
The chess pieces are the block alphabet which shapes thoughts; and these thoughts, although making a visual design on the chessboard, express their beauty abstractly, like a poem. [Marcel Duchamp, address to New York State Chess Association, Aug. 30, 1952]
chess-board (n.): mid-15c., from chess + board (n.1).
chessmen (n.): also chess-men, late 15c., from chess + men.
chest (n.): Old English cest "box, coffer, casket," from Proto-Germanic *kista (cognates: Old Norse and Old High German kista, Old Frisian, Middle Dutch, German kiste, Dutch kist), an early borrowing from Latin cista "chest, box," from Greek kiste "a box, basket," from PIE *kista "woven container." Meaning extended to "thorax" 1520s, replacing breast (n.), on the metaphor of the ribs as a box for the organs. Chest of drawers is from 1590s.
Chester: Cestre (1086), from Old English Legacæstir (735) "City of the Legions," from Old English ceaster "Roman town or city," from Latin castrum "fortified place" (see castle (n.)). It was the base of the Second Legion Adiutrix in the 70s C.E. and later the 20th Legion Valeria Victrix. But the town's name in Roman times was Deoua (c. 150 C.E.), from its situation on the River Dee, a Celtic river name meaning "the goddess, the holy one."
Chesterfield: Derbyshire town, Old English Cesterfelda, literally "open land near a Roman fort," from ceaster "fort" (see Chester) + feld "open land" (see field (n.)). The cigarette brand was named for Chesterfield County, Virginia, U.S. As a kind of overcoat and a kind of sofa (both 19c.), the name comes from earls of Chesterfield. Philip Stanhope, the fourth Earl of Chesterfield (1694-1773) was the writer on manners and etiquette.
chestnut (n.): 1560s, from chesten nut (1510s), with superfluous nut (n.) + Middle English chasteine, from Old French chastain (12c., Modern French châtaigne), from Latin castanea "chestnut, chestnut tree," from Greek kastaneia, which the Greeks thought meant either "nut from Castanea" in Pontus, or "nut from Castana" in Thessaly, but probably both places are named for the trees, not the other way around, and the word is borrowed from a language of Asia Minor (compare Armenian kask "chestnut," kaskeni "chestnut tree"). In reference to the dark reddish-brown color, 1650s. Applied to the horse-chestnut by 1832.

Slang sense of "venerable joke or story" is from 1885, explained 1888 by Joseph Jefferson (see "Lippincott's Monthly Magazine," January 1888) as probably abstracted from the 1816 melodrama "The Broken Sword" by William Dimond where an oft-repeated story involving a chestnut tree figures in an exchange between the characters "Captain Zavior" and "Pablo":
Zav. Let me see--ay! it is exactly six years since that peace being restored to Spain, and my ship paid off, my kind brother offered me a snug hammock in the dwelling of my forefathers. I mounted a mule at Barcelona and trotted away for my native mountains. At the dawn of the fourth day's journey, I entered the wood of Collares, when, suddenly, from the thick boughs of a cork-tree--
Pab. [Jumping up.] A chesnut, Captain, a chesnut!
Zav. Bah, you booby! I say, a cork!
Pab. And I swear, a chesnut. Captain, this is the twenty-seventh time I have heard you relate this story, and you invariably said, a chesnut, till now.
Jefferson traced the connection through William Warren, "the veteran comedian of Boston" who often played Pablo in the melodrama.
chesty (adj.): "aggressively self-assured," 1898, American English slang, from chest (n.) in the body sense + -y (2). Of a woman, "bosomy, full-breasted," by 1955.
clothes (n.): Old English claðas "cloths, clothes," originally plural of clað "cloth" (see cloth), which, in 19c., after the sense of "article of clothing" had mostly faded from it, acquired a new plural form, cloths, to distinguish it from this word.
clothes-horse (n.): also clothes horse, "upright wooden frame for hanging clothes to dry," 1788, from clothes + horse (n.). Figurative sense of "person whose sole function seems to be to show off clothes" is 1850.
clothes-line (n.): also clothesline, 1830, from clothes + line (n.). As a kind of high tackle in U.S. football (the effect is similar to running into a taut clothesline) attested by 1970; as a verb in this sense by 1959.
clothes-pin (n.): also clothespin, by 1834, American English, from clothes + pin (n.). Clothes-peg in the same sense attested from 1812.