C

Source: the Online Etymology Dictionary
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caboose - 1747, from M.Du. kambuis "ship's galley," from Low Ger. kabhuse "wooden cabin on ship's deck." Railroading sense is 1861.
cackle - 12c., imitative, partly based on M.Du. kake "jaw." Cackleberries, slang for "eggs" is first recorded 1880.
cairn - 1535, from Scottish carne, from Gael. carn "heap of stones, rocky hill," akin to Gaul. karnon "horn," from PIE base *ker-n- "highest part of the body, horn," thus "tip, peak."
cake - c.1200, from O.N. kaka "cake," from PIE base *gag-, *gog- "something round, lump of something." Orig. (until 15c.) a flat, round loaf of bread. Replaced its O.E. cognate coecel. Cakewalk is 1863, Amer.Eng., probably from the cake given as a prize for the fanciest steps in a procession (hence the phrase to take the cake, 1847). Its figurative meaning of "something easy" is recorder before the literal one (1879).
calf - O.E. cealf "young cow," from W.Gmc. *kalbam, perh. from PIE *gelb(h)-, from base *gel- "to swell," hence, "fetus." Eliptical sense of "leather made from the skin of a calf" is from 1727. Used of icebergs from 1818. calf of the leg (M.E.) is from O.N. kalfr, source unknown; possibly from the same Gmc. root.
call (v.) - O.E. ceallian, clipian, replaced by O.N. kalla "to cry loudly," from P.Gmc. *kallojanan, from PIE base *gol- "to scream, shriek." Meaning "to give a name to" was in M.E. Sense of "a short formal visit" is from 1862. Calling "vocation" traces to I Cor. vii:20. To call out someone to fight corresponds to Fr. provoqueur. Slang call girl is c.1900, originally a prostitute dispensed by telephone.
callow - O.E. calu "bare, bald," prob. from W.Gmc. *kalwaz. From young birds with no feathers, meaning extended to any young inexperienced thing or creature (1580).
calve - O.E. cealfian, from cealf "calf." Of icebergs, 1837.
cam - 1777, from Du. cam "cog," orig. "comb."
can (v.) - O.E. 1st & 3rd pers. sing. pres. indic. of cunnan "know, have power to, be able," from P.Gmc. *kunnan, from PIE base *gen-, *gno-. An O.E. preterite-present verb, its original p.p., couth, survives only in its negation (see uncouth).
can (n.) - O.E. canne "a cup, container," from P.Gmc. *kanna, probably an early borrowing from L.L. canna "container, vessel," from L. canna "reed." Modern "air-tight vessel of tinned iron" is from 1874; the verb meaning "to put up in cans" is attested from 1871. Slang meaning "toilet" is c.1900, said to be a shortening of piss-can. Meaning "buttocks" is from c.1910. Verb meaning "fire an employee" is from 1905. Canned "pre-recorded" first attested 1904.
care - O.E. caru, cearu "sorrow, anxiety, grief," from P.Gmc. *karo, from PIE base *gar- "cry out, scream." The verb is O.E. carian, cearian "to feel concern or interest," from P.Gmc. *karojanan. Careful "circumspect" was in O.E.; caretaker is first attested 1858. Care package was originally CARE package, supplies sent out by Cooperative for American Relief Everywhere, a post-World War II organization.
carp (v.) - "complain," c.1225, from O.N. karpa "to brag," meaning turned toward "find fault," probably by infl. of L. carpere "pluck."
cart - c.1200, from O.N. kartr, akin to O.E. cræt "chariot," orig. "body of a cart made of wickerwork, hamper;" related to O.E. cradol (see cradle). Cartwheel (n.) is from c.1395.
carve - O.E. ceorfan (class III strong verb; past tense cearf, pp. corfen), from W.Gmc. *kerfan, from PIE base *gerebh- "to scratch." Once extensively used, most senses now usurped by cut. Meaning specialized to sculpture, meat, etc., by 16c.
cast (v.) - 12c., from O.N. kasta "to throw." The noun sense of "a throw" carried an idea of the form the thing takes after it has been thrown, which led to varied meanings, such as "group of actors in a play" (1631). A cast in the eye preserves the older sense of "warp, turn," in which it replaced O.E. weorpan (see warp), and is itself largely superseded now by throw. Castaway first recorded mid-15c.
cat - O.E., from P.Gmc. *kattuz; the word appeared in Europe as L.L. cattus (4c. C.E.), Gk. katta (6c. C.E.) and was in general use on the continent by c. 700, replacing L. feles. Probably ult. Afro-Asiatic (cf. Nubian kadis, Berber kadiska, both meaning "cat"). Domestic in Egypt from c.2000 B.C.E., but not a familiar household animal to classical Greeks and Romans. Extended to lions, tigers, etc. 1607. Slang sense of "prostitute" is from at least 1401. Slang sense of "fellow, guy," is from 1920, originally in U.S. Black Eng.; narrower sense of "jazz enthusiast" is recorded from 1931. Catcall first recorded 1659; Cat's-cradle is from 1768. Cat's paw (1769, but cat's foot in the same sense, 1597) refers to old folk tale in which the monkey tricks the cat into pawing chestnuts from a fire; the monkey gets the nuts, the cat gets a burnt paw. Cat-witted "small-minded, obstinate, and spiteful" (1673) deserted to survive. For Cat's meow, cat's pajamas, see bee's knees.
caterwaul - 1610, from M.Du. cater "tomcat" + waul "to yowl," apparently from O.E. *wrag, *wrah "angry," of uncertain origin.
chaff - O.E. ceaf, from P.Gmc. *kaf-, *kef-. Chaffinch (Fringilla cælebs) is O.E. ceaffinc.
Charles's Wain - O.E. Carles wægn, associated with Charlemagne, originally with the nearby bright star Arcturus, which was verbally linked to L. Arturus "Arthur."
chary - O.E. cearig "sorrowful" (see care). Sense evolved 16c. from "full of care" to "careful."
cheap - O.E. ceap (n.) "a purchase," from ceapian (v.) "trade," probably early Gmc. borrowing from L. caupo (gen. cauponis) "petty tradesman, huckster." Sense of "lightly esteemed, common" is from 1591; expression on the cheap is first attested 1888. The adjective is 16c., from god chep "favorable bargain," translation of Fr. a bon marche, a sense represented in O.E. by undeor. Cheapskate "miserly person" is from 1905.
cheddar - 1666 (but the cheese was presumably made long before that), from Cheddar, a village in Somerset, England, where it was originally made, from O.E. Ceodre (c.880), probably from ceodor "ravine" (there is a nearby gorge).
cheek - O.E. ceace, cece "jaw, jawbone," from W.Gmc. *kaukon, not found outside W.Gmc. Sense of "insolence" is from 1840; cheeky first attested 1859.
cheese - O.E. cyse, from W.Gmc. *kasjus, from L. caseus "cheese," from PIE base *kwat- "to ferment, become sour." Fr. fromage is from M.L. formaticum, from L. forma "shape, form, mold." Cheeseburger first attested 1938. Cheesecake is first recorded 1934 in slang sense of "photograph of sexy young women."
chest - O.E. cest, from P.Gmc. *kista, an early borrowing from L. cista, from Gk. kiste "a box, basket," from PIE *kista "woven container." Meaning extended to "thorax" 1530, replacing breast, on the metaphor of the ribs as a box for the organs.
Chester - Cestre (1086), from O.E. Legacæstir (735) "City of the Legions," from O.E. ceaster "Roman town or city." 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."
chew - O.E. ceowan "to bite, chew," from W.Gmc. *keuwjanan, from PIE base *gjeu- "to chew." To chew (someone) out is military slang from World War II.
chicken - O.E. cycen "young fowl," which in M.E. came to mean "young chicken," then any chicken, from W.Gmc. *kiukinam, from base *keuk- (possibly root of cock, of echoic origin) + dim. suffix. Sense of "cowardly" is at least as old as 14c.; and chicken pox may be a disparaging name because of their mildness compared to smallpox. Chick is 14c. abbreviation, extended to "a child" and used as a term of endearment. As slang for "young woman" it is first recorded 1927 in black slang, popularized 1960s. Chickweed is O.E. cicene mete "chicken food." Chic-pea (1548), originally chich-pease, is from Fr. pois chiche, from L. cicer "pea."
chide - M.E. "scold, nag, rail," originally intranstive, from O.E. cidan "quarrel." Only in English.
child - O.E. cild "child" (especially, in 16c. "girl child"), from P.Gmc. *kiltham (source of Gothic kilþei "womb"), unrelated to other languages. The difficulty with the plural began in O.E., where the nom. pl. was at first cild, identical with the sing., then c.975 pl. form cildru (gen. cildra) arose, only to be re-pluraled c.1175 as children, which is thus a double plural. M.E. plural cildre survives in Lancashire dialect childer. Also in O.E. meaning "a youth of gentle birth" (archaic, usually written childe). Childhood is O.E. cildhad; childish is O.E. cildisc; childlike (a good-sense variant) is first attested 1586.
chill (n.) - O.E. ciele, cele "cold," from P.Gmc. *kal- "to be cold," from PIE base *gel- "cold." The verb (both lit. and figurative) is 14c., from the noun. Meaning "hang out" first recorded 1985; from earlier (1979) sense of chill out "relax."
chin - O.E. cin, a general Gmc. word, from PIE base *genw- "chin, jawbone."
chink - "slit," 1535, from M.E. chine (with parasitic -k) from O.E. cinu "fissure," related to cinan "to crack, split, gape," from PIE base *gei-, *gi- "to germinate, bloom," connection being in the notion of bursting open.
chip - O.E. forcippian, v. form of cipp "small piece of wood," from PIE base *keipo- "sharp post." Sense of "break off fragments" is 18c. To chip in may come from card-playing. Potato chip is 1860s. Chip of the old block is used by Milton. To have a chip on one's shoulder is from at least 1820s, U.S., from the custom of a boy determined to fight putting a chip on his shoulder and defying another to knock it off.
chirp - echoic var. of M.E. chirken "to twitter" (1380), from O.E. cearcian "to creak, gnash."
chitterlings - 1221, cheterlingis "entrails, souse," origins obscure, but probably from O.E. and having something to do with entrails. Variants chitlins (1845) and chitlings (1880) both also had a sense of "shreds, tatters."
choke - c.1303, aphetic of acheken, from O.E. aceocian "to choke," with intensive a-, prob. from base of ceoke "jaw, cheek." Choke-cherry so called for its astringent qualities. Choker "large neckerchief" is from 1848.
choose - O.E. ceosan "choose, taste, try" (class II strong verb; past tense ceas, pp. coren), from P.Gmc. *keusanan, from PIE base *geus- "to taste, relish." Only remotely related to choice. Choosy is Amer.Eng. 1862.
chop (2) - "shift," O.E. ceapian "to bargain," with a sense of "changing back and forth."
chubby - 1611, from chub, the short, thick fish used as bait, perhaps influenced by O.N. kumba "log," kumben "stumpy."
chuckle - 1598, frequentive of M.E. chukken "make a clucking noise," of echoic origin. It originally meant "noisy laughter." Chucklehead "blockhead" (18c.) is perhaps connected with chuck (v.).
chump - 1703, "short, thick lump of wood," akin to O.N. kumba "block of wood." Meaning "blockhead" is first attested 1883.
churl - O.E. ceorl "peasant, freeman," from P.Gmc. *kerlaz, *karlaz. It had various meaning in early M.E., including "man of the common people," "a country man," "husbandman," "free peasant;" by 1300, it meant "bondman, villain," also "fellow of low birth or rude manners." For acquisition of an insulting flavor over time, compare boor, villain.
churn - O.E. cyrin, from P.Gmc. *kernjon, probably akin to cyrnel "kernel," from the grainy appearance of churned cream.
choke - c.1303, aphetic of acheken, from O.E. aceocian "to choke," with intensive a-, prob. from base of ceoke "jaw, cheek." Choke-cherry so called for its astringent qualities. Choker "large neckerchief" is from 1848.
choose - O.E. ceosan "choose, taste, try" (class II strong verb; past tense ceas, pp. coren), from P.Gmc. *keusanan, from PIE base *geus- "to taste, relish." Only remotely related to choice. Choosy is Amer.Eng. 1862.
chop (2) - "shift," O.E. ceapian "to bargain," with a sense of "changing back and forth."
chore - 1746, Amer.Eng., variant of char, from M.E. cherre "odd job," from O.E. cerr, cierr "turn, occasion."
chirp - echoic var. of M.E. chirken "to twitter" (1380), from O.E. cearcian "to creak, gnash."
choose - O.E. ceosan "choose, taste, try" (class II strong verb; past tense ceas, pp. coren), from P.Gmc. *keusanan, from PIE base *geus- "to taste, relish." Only remotely related to choice. Choosy is Amer.Eng. 1862.
chop (2) - "shift," O.E. ceapian "to bargain," with a sense of "changing back and forth."
chore - 1746, Amer.Eng., variant of char, from M.E. cherre "odd job," from O.E. cerr, cierr "turn, occasion."
chubby - 1611, from chub, the short, thick fish used as bait, perhaps influenced by O.N. kumba "log," kumben "stumpy."
chump - 1703, "short, thick lump of wood," akin to O.N. kumba "block of wood." Meaning "blockhead" is first attested 1883.
churl - O.E. ceorl "peasant, freeman," from P.Gmc. *kerlaz, *karlaz. It had various meaning in early M.E., including "man of the common people," "a country man," "husbandman," "free peasant;" by 1300, it meant "bondman, villain," also "fellow of low birth or rude manners." For acquisition of an insulting flavor over time, compare boor, villain.
churn - O.E. cyrin, from P.Gmc. *kernjon, probably akin to cyrnel "kernel," from the grainy appearance of churned cream.
chirp - echoic var. of M.E. chirken "to twitter" (1380), from O.E. cearcian "to creak, gnash."
chitterlings - 1221, cheterlingis "entrails, souse," origins obscure, but probably from O.E. and having something to do with entrails. Variants chitlins (1845) and chitlings (1880) both also had a sense of "shreds, tatters."
choke - c.1303, aphetic of acheken, from O.E. aceocian "to choke," with intensive a-, prob. from base of ceoke "jaw, cheek." Choke-cherry so called for its astringent qualities. Choker "large neckerchief" is from 1848.
choose - O.E. ceosan "choose, taste, try" (class II strong verb; past tense ceas, pp. coren), from P.Gmc. *keusanan, from PIE base *geus- "to taste, relish." Only remotely related to choice. Choosy is Amer.Eng. 1862.
cinder - O.E. sinder "dross of iron, slag," from P.Gmc. *sindran, from PIE base *sendhro- "coagulating fluid." Initial s- changed to c- under infl. of Fr. cendre.
Cinderella - partial translation of Ger. Aschenbrödel, lit. "scullion," from asche "ash" + brodeln "bubble up, to brew." A widespread Eurasian folk tale, the oldest version is Chinese (c.850 C.E.); the Eng. version is based on Perrault's Cendrillon (1697), translated from Fr. by Robert Sambler (1729), but there were probably native versions (cf. Scottish "Rashin Coatie").
clack - 13c., from O.N. klaka "to chatter," of echoic origin.
clad - c.1250, alternate pt. and pp. of clothe, from O.E. geclæþd, pp. of clæþan "to clothe," from clað "cloth."
clam - c.1500, from M.E. clam "pincers, vice, clamp," from O.E. clamm "bond, fetter," from P.Gmc. *klam-. Application to bivalve mollusk is first attested in Scottish Eng. Clam up is 1916, Amer.Eng., but clam was used in this sense as an interjection c.1350.
clamber - c.1375, possibly frequentive of M.E. climben "to climb," or akin to O.N. klembra "to hook (oneself) on."
clammy - 14c., from M.E. clam "viscous, sticky, muddy," from O.E. clæm "mud, sticky clay," from P.Gmc. *klaimaz "clay."
clamp (n.) - 1304, probably from clamb, orig. pt. of climb, or from M.Du. klampe, from W.Gmc. *klamp- "clamp, cleat." The verb is from 1677.
clap (v.) - O.E. clæppan "to throb, beat," echoic. Claptrap is c.1730 theater slang from actors' stage devices to get applause.
clapboard - c.1520, partial transl. of M.Du. klapholt (borrowed into Eng. 14c.), from klappen "to fit" + L.Ger. holt "wood, board."
clatter - O.E. *clatrian, immitative, perhaps from PIE base *gal- "to cry out."
claw - O.E. clawu, from P.Gmc. *klawo, from PIE *g(e)l-eu- from base *gel- "to make round, clench." The verb is from O.E. clawian.
clay - O.E. clæg "stiff, sticky earth; clay," from W.Gmc. *klaijaz, from PIE base *glei "to stick together."
clean - O.E. clæne "clean, pure," from W.Gmc. *klainoz "clear, pure," from PIE base *gel- "to gleam." As an adj., replaced in higher senses by clear, pure, but as a verb it has largely usurped what once belonged to cleanse (from O.E. clænsian), which, despite its modern spelling (16c.) retains its M.E. pronunciation. Clean in the sense of "innocent" is from c.1300; that of "not lewd" is from 1867; that of "free of drug addiction" is 1950s.
cleat - O.E. *cleat "a lump," from W.Gmc. *klaut "firm lump." Originally a wedge of wood bolted to a spar, etc., to keep it from slipping.
cleave (1) - "to split," O.E. cleofan "to split, separate" (class II strong verb, past tense cleaf, past participle clofen), from P.Gmc. *kleubanan, from PIE base *gleubh- "to cut, slice." The old, strong p.t. clave was still alive at the time of the King James Bible; and the p.p. cloven survives, though mostly in compounds. Cleavage in geology is from 1816. The sense of "cleft between a woman's breasts in low-cut clothing" is first recorded 1946.
cleave (2) - "to adhere," O.E. clifian, from W.Gmc. *klibajanan, from PIE *gloi- "to stick." The confusion was less in O.E. when cleave (1) was a class 2 strong verb and cleave (2) a class 1 verb; but it has grown since cleave (1) weakened, which may be why both are largely superseded by stick and split. Cleaver "butcher's chopper" is from 1483.
cleft - O.E. geclyft (adj.) "split, cloven," spelling infl. by cleft, new weak pp. of cleave (1), from P.Gmc. *kluftis.
clench - O.E. beclencan "to hold fast, make cling," caus. of clingan (see cling).
clever - c.1590, from E.Anglian dial. cliver "expert at seizing," probably from E.Fris. klufer or Norwegian dialectic klover "ready, skillful," perhaps infl. by O.E. clifer "claw, hand" (early usages seem to refer to dexterity); extention to intellect is first recorded 1704.
cliff - O.E. clif, from P.Gmc. *kliban, perhaps from PIE base *gleibh- "to adhere, be attached." Cliffhanger "suspenseful situation" first recorded 1937.
climb - O.E. climban, from W.Gmc. *klimbanan "go up by clinging." A strong verb in O.E., weak by 16c. Most other Gmc. languages long ago dropped the -b.
cling - O.E. clingan "hold fast, congeal, shrivel," shifting 13c. to "adhere, stick together," from P.Gmc. *klingg-.
clip (2) - "fasten," O.E. clyppan "to embrace." Preserved in paper clip and U.S. football clipping penalty. Clipboard is from 1907.
clipper - M.E. clippen "shorten," perhaps infl. by M.Du. klepper "swift horse," echoic. The type of fast sailing ship so called from 1830, from clip (1) in alternate sense of "to move or run rapidly."
clod - O.E. clod- (in clod-hamer "field-goer"), from P.Gmc. *kludda-, from PIE *g(e)leu, from base *gel- "to make round." Synonymous with clot until 18c. Clodhopper "rustic" first attested 1690, originally "plowman."
clot - O.E. clott, akin to Du. kloot "ball" (see clod).
cloth - O.E. clað "a cloth," hence, "garment," from P.Gmc. *kalithaz, origin obscure.
clothe - O.E. claþian (see cloth).
clothes - O.E. claðas "clothes," originally pl. of clað "cloth," which acquired a new pl., cloths, 19c. to distinguish it from this word. Clothespin is from 1846; clothing is from c.1200.
cloud - O.E. clud "mass of rock," from P.Gmc. *kludas, metaphoric extension 13c. based on similarity of cumulus clouds and rock masses. O.E. word for "cloud" was weolcan. Cloudy is O.E. cludig. The imaginary city Cloud Cuckoo Land, built in air, is from Aristophanes' "The Birds" (414 B.C.E.). Cloud Nine is 1950s, Amer.Eng., of unknown origin or significance.
clout - O.E. clut "lump of something," also "patch of cloth put over a hole to mend it," from P.Gmc. *klutaz. Sense of "a blow" is from early 14c., but the metaphor is obscure.
clove - "slice of garlic," O.E. clufu, from P.Gmc. *klubo "cleft, thing cloven."
clover - O.E. clafre, from P.Gmc. *klaibron. First ref. in Eng. to luck of a four-leaf clover is from 1507.
club - 12c., from O.N. klubba "cudgel," from P.Gmc. *klumbon; the sense "to associate" is first attested 1670, apparently for "form a mass like the thick end of a club." Specific sense of "bat used in games" is from c.1450. The club at cards is the right name for the suit (It. bastone), even though the pattern adopted is the Fr. trefoil. Club sandwich first recorded 1903; club-foot is from 1538.
cluck - O.E. cloccian originally echoic.
clue - O.E. cliewen "a ball of thread or yarn," such as the one in Gk. legend Theseus used as a guide out of the Labyrinth. Modern use, in this sense, is first attested 1386, as clew. From W.Gmc. *kleuwin.
clump - 1586, from Du. klomp "lump, mass," or Low Ger. klump. O.E. had clympre "lump, mass of metal." The verb "to tread heavily" is first recorded 1665.
clumsy - 1597, from M.E. clumsid "numb with cold," pp. of clumsen "to benumb," from O.N. klumsa, intens. of kluma "to make motionless."
cluster (n.) - O.E. clyster "cluster," probably from the same root as clot.
clutch (v.) - O.E. clyccan "bring together, bend (the fingers), clench," infl. in meaning by M.E. cloke "a claw." Automotive engine part (n.) is 1814, with the "seizing" sense extended to "coupling for bringing working parts together." First used of motor vehicles 1899.
clutch (n.) - of chickens, eggs, 1721, from clekken "to hatch," probably from a Scand. source (cf. O.N. klekja "to hatch").
coal - O.E. col "charcoal, live coal," from P.Gmc. *kula(n), from PIE base *g(e)u-lo- "live coal." Traditionally good luck, coal was given as a New Year's gift in England, said to guarantee a warm hearth for the coming year. The phrase drag (or rake) over the coals was a reference to the treatment meted out to heretics by Christians. To carry coals to Newcastle (c.1600) renders Gk. glauk eis Athenas "owls to Athens."
coarse - 1582, spelling variant of M.E. cors "ordinary," probably adj. use of noun cours (see course), originally referring to rough cloth for ordinary wear. Developed a sense of "rude" c.1510 and "obscene" 1711. Perhaps related, via metathesis, to Fr. gros, which had a similar sense development.
cob - "The N.E.D. recognizes eight nouns cob, with numerous sub-groups. Like other monosyllables common in the dial. its hist. is inextricable." (Weekley) Some senses are probably from O.E. copp "top, head," others probably from O.N. kubbi or Low Ger., all from P.Gmc. base *kubb- "something rounded."
cobalt - 1683, from Ger. kobold "goblin," term silver miners used for worthless rock, laced with arsenic and sulphur, from which the element was extracted, from M.H.G. kobe "hut, shed" + *holt "goblin," from hold "gracious, friendly," complimentary words used to avoid the wrath of troublesome beings. Extended to a color 1835.
cobble (n.) - "paving stone," c.1375, probably a dim. of cob.
cobble (v.) - "to mend clumsily," 1287, probably from cob, perhaps via a notion of lumps.
cobweb - 1323, first element is O.E. -coppe in atorcoppe "spider" -- from ator "poison" (from P.Gmc. *aitra- "poisonous ulcer") + copp "top, head," of unknown origin -- an old word nearly dead even in dial. till J.R.R. Tolkien gave it new life in "The Hobbit" (1937).
cock (n.) - O.E. cocc, O.Fr. coq, O.N. kokkr, all of echoic origin. O.E. cocc was a nickname for "one who strutted like a cock," thus a common term in the Middle Ages for a pert boy, used of scullions, apprentices, servants, etc. A common personal name till c.1500, it was affixed to Christian names as a pet diminutive, cf. Wilcox, Hitchcock, etc. Slang sense of "penis" is attested since 1618 (cock-teaser is from 1891). Cocky "arrogantly pert" (1768) originally mean "lecherous" (16c.), modern sense of "vain" is 18c. A cocker spaniel (1823) was trained to start woodcocks. Cock of a faucet first recorded c.1425; of a gun, 1566, hence half-cocked "with the cock lifted to the first catch, at which position the trigger does not act." Cock-and-bull is first recorded 1621, perhaps an allusion to Aesop's fables, with their incredible talking animals, or to a particular story, now forgotten. Fr. has parallel expression coq-à-l'âne.
cock (v.) - 1575, from cocken (c.1150) "to fight," apparently from cock (n.) in reference to fighting cocks. Cockeyed is 1821, from the verb; the sense of "askew, foolish" is first recorded 1896.
cockney - 1600, from M.E. cokenei "spoiled child, milksop," orig. cokene-ey "cock's egg." Most likely disentangling of the etymology is to start from O.E. cocena "cock's egg" -- gen. pl. of coc "cock" + æg "egg" -- medieval term for "runt of a clutch," extended c.1521 to "town dweller," gradually narrowing thereafter to a particular neighborhood of London.
codpiece - 1460, "a bagged appendage to the front of the breeches; often conspicuous" [O.E.D.], from O.E. codd "a bag, pouch."
cog - 13c., probably a borrowing from a Scandinavian language (cf. Norw. kugg "cog").
coke - 1699, northern Eng. dial., perhaps a variant of M.E. colke "core, charcoal," itself possibly related to -colc, an O.E. word for "pit." The soft drink name is a shortening (first recorded 1909) of brand name Coca-Cola, trademark from 1887. As a shortened form of cocaine it dates from 1908, Amer.Eng.
cold - O.E. cald (Anglian), ceald (W.Saxon), from P.Gmc. *kaldaz, possibly pp. adj. of *kal-/*kol-, from PIE base *gel-/*gol- "cold." Sense in common cold is 1537, from symptoms resembling those of exposure to cold; cold-blooded (1595) refers to old notion that blood temperature rose with excitement; meaning "not strong" (in reference to scent) is 1592, from hunting. Cold feet is Amer.Eng., 1890s, but the presumed It. original (avegh minga frecc i pee) is a Lombard proverb meaning "to have no money." Cold shoulder (1816, first in Sir Walter Scott), supposedly refers to hostess' custom of serving hot meat to welcome visitors, and a cold shoulder of mutton to an unwelcome one. Cold turkey "without preparation," is first attested 1910; narrowing to "withdrawal from an addictive substance" (originally heroin) is first 1921. Cold turkey is a food that requires little preparation, so to quit like cold turkey is to do so suddenly and without preparation. Cold War coined by George Orwell, Oct. 1945.
collie - 1651, possibly from dial. coaly "coal-black," the color of some breeds ((cf. colley "sheep with black face and legs," attested from 1793; M.E. colfox "coal-fox," a variety of fox with tail and both ears tipped with black; and colley Somerset dialectal name for "blackbird"). Or from Scand. proper name Colle, known to have been applied to dogs; or from a convergence of the two.
collier - 1276, "charcoal maker and seller," from M.E. col (see coal).
colt - O.E. colt, originally "young ass," also used for "young camel" in Biblical translations, probably from P.Gmc. *kultaz and akin to child. The meaning "revolver" was originally the manufactures of U.S. gunsmith Samuel Colt (1814-62).
comb - O.E. camb "comb," lit. "toothed object," from W.Gmc. *kambaz, from PIE *gombhos, from base *gembh- "to bite, tooth" (cf. Gk. gomphos "a molar tooth"). As a verb, replaced O.E. cemban, which survives in unkempt.
come - O.E. cuman "come" (class IV strong verb; past tense cuom, com, pp. cumen), from P.Gmc. *kwem-, from PIE base *gwem- "to go, come." Substitution of -o- for -u- is scribal change before minims, c.f. monk, some, worm, orig. munuc, sum, wyrm. Past tense form is probably from O.N. kvam, replacing O.E. cuom. Amazingly productive with prepositions (NTC's "Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs" lists 198 combinations); consider the varied senses in come to "regain consciousness," come over "possess" (as an emotion), come at "attack," and come off "occur." For slang sexual senses, see cum.
comely - O.E. cymlic "lovely, splendid, finely made," from cyme "exquisite, glorious, delicate," orig. "feeble;" or perhaps from M.E. bicumelic "suitable, exquisite," lit. "becomely."
con (2) - "study," from O.E. cunnan "to know, know how" (see can).
cool - O.E. col, from P.Gmc. *koluz, from PIE base *gel- "cold, to freeze." The v. form kele (from O.E. colian) was used by Shakespeare, but has been assimilated with the adj. into the modern word. Applied since 1728 to large sums of money to give emphasis to amount. Meaning "calmly audacious" is from 1825. Slang use for "fashionable" is 1933, originally Black English, said to have been popularized in jazz circles by tenor saxophonist Lester Young.
coomb - "deep hollow or valley, especially on flank of a hill," mainly suirviving in place names, from O.E. cumb, probably a British word, from Celt. base *kumbos.
corn - "grain," O.E. corn, from P.Gmc. *kurnam "small seed," from PIE base *ger- "wear away." The sense of the O.E. word was "grain with the seed still in" rather than a particular plant. Locally understood to denote the leading crop of a district. Restricted to corn on the cob in America (originally Indian corn, but the adjective was dropped), usually wheat in England, oats in Scotland and Ireland, while korn means "rye" in parts of Germany. Introduced to China by 1550, it thrived where rice did not grow well and was a significant factor in the 18th century population boom there. Cornflakes first recorded 1907. Corned beef so called for the "corns" or grains of salt with which it is preserved. Corny "old-fashioned" is Amer.Eng. 1930s, originally, "something appealing to country folk."
cote - O.E. cote, fem. of cot (pl. cotu) "small house" (see cottage).
cough - M.E. coughen, from P.Gmc. *kokh- (with the rough "kh" of Mod. German, or of Scottish loch). Onomatopoeic.
could - O.E. cuðe, pt. of cunnan "to be able" (see can), ending changed 14c. to standard Eng. -d(e). The -l- was added 16c. on model of would, should, where it is historic.
couth - O.E. cuðe, pp. of cunnan (see can) died out as such 16c., but the word was reborn 1896 as a back-formation from uncouth.
cove - O.E. cofa "small chamber, cell," from P.Gmc. *kubon. Extension of meaning to "small bay" is 1590, apparently via Scot. dialectal meaning "small hollow place in coastal rocks."
cow - O.E. cu, from P.Gmc. *kwon, earlier *kwom, from PIE *gwous. The verb (1605) is probably from O.N. kuga "oppress," of unknown origin. Cowhand is first attested 1852 in Amer.Eng.; cowboy is from 1725, Western U.S. sense from 1882, as an adj. meaning "reckless," 1920s; cowlick is from 1598. Cowpoke was originally restricted to the cowboys who prodded cattle onto railroad cars with long poles.
cower - 13c., probably from M.L.G. *kuren "lie in wait," or similar Scand. words meaning "to squat" and "to doze."
crab - O.E. crabba, from a general Gmc. root (cf. Low Ger. krabben "to scratch, claw"); crab apple may be from unrelated Scand. scrab, of obscure origin. The combination of "bad-tempered, combative" and "sour" in the two words naturally yielded a meaning of "complaining irritably," which is pre-1400, though crabby in this sense is Amer.Eng. 18c. Crabgrass is 1597, originally a marine grass of salt marshes; modern meaning is from 1743.
crack - O.E. cracian "make a sharp noise," from P.Gmc. *krakojan, probably onomatopoeic. The noun meaning "split, opening," is 14c. Meaning "try, attempt" first attested 1836. Meaning "rock cocaine" is first attested 1985. Cracked "mentally unsound" is 17c. (though the equivalent Gk. word was used in this sense by Aristophanes), while crack as in "top-notch, superior" is 18c. Cracker "hard wafer" is attested from 1440, but the specific application to a thin, crisp biscuit is 1739, while cracker, Amer.Eng. derogatory term for "poor, white trash" (1766), is from 16c. crack "to boast" (cf. not what it's cracked up to be). Crackpot "pretentious, worthless person" dates from 1883.
cradle - O.E. cradol "little bed," from P.Gmc. *kradulas "basket." Cat's cradle is from 1768.
craft - O.E. cræft "power, strength, might," later "skill, art," leading to n. meaning "trade," from P.Gmc. *krab-/*kraf-. Use for "small boat" is 17c., origin obscure.
crafty - O.E. cræftig "strong, powerful," later "skillful," degenerating 12c. to "cunning, sly."
cram - O.E. crammian "press something into something else," from P.Gmc. base *kram-/*krem-. Meaning "study intensely for an exam" is British student slang first recorded 1803.
cranberry - 1647, Amer.Eng. adaptation of Low Ger. kraanbere, from kraan "crane" + M.L.G. bere "berry," perhaps from a resemblance between the plants' stamens and the beaks of cranes. Cranberries brought to the New World by German settlers.
crane - O.E. cran "large wading bird," from PIE *ger- perhaps echoic of its cry. Metaphoric use for "machine with a long arm" is first attested 1299. Verb meaning "to stretch (the neck)" is from 1799.
crank - O.E. cranc- preserved only in crancstæf "a weaver's instrument," from P.Gmc. base *krank-, and related to crincan "to bend, yield." The sense of "an eccentric person," especially one who is irrationally fixated, is 1881, from the crank of a barrel organ, which makes it play the same tune over and over. Said to have been first applied to Horace Greeley. But another theory holds that it is a back-formation from cranky "cross-tempered, irritable" (1821). The verb meaning "turning a crank" is first attested 1908.
crave - O.E. crafian "demand by right." Current sense "to long for" is 14c., probably through intermediate meaning "to ask very earnestly."
craw - O.E. cræg "throat."
crawfish - 1624, generally dismissed by British etymologists as a 19c. Amer.Eng. variant of crayfish, but it apparently existed in M.E.
crawl - c.1200, crewlen, from a Scand. source, perhaps O.N. krafla "to claw (one's way)."
craze - c.1369, probably from O.N. *krasa "shatter." Originally "perforate," later "shatter." Now-obsolete metaphoric use for "break down in health" (1450) led to sense of "mental breakdown." Extension to "mania, fad," is first recorded 1813; crazy is from 1576.
creche - 1882, from Fr., ult. from O.H.G. kripja, from the root of crib. Originally "a public nursery for infants where they are cared for while their mothers are at work."
creek - 1449, creke "narrow inlet in a coastline," from kryk (c.1230), probably from O.N. kriki "nook," perhaps infl. by Anglo-Fr. crique, itself from a Scand. source via Norman. Use for "small stream, brook," is Amer.Eng. 17c.
creel - M.E., of unknown origin.
creep - O.E. creopan "to creep" (class II strong verb; past tense creap, pp. cropen), from P.Gmc. *kreupanan, from PIE base *greug-. Use for "despicable person" is 1935, Amer.Eng. slang, perhaps from earlier sense of "sneak thief" (1914). Creepy (1831) refers to the sensation of creeping in the flesh caused by horror or repugnance.
cress - O.E. cresse, originally cærse. It underwent a metathesis similar to grass.
crib - O.E. cribbe "manger," not meaning "child's bed" until 17c., verb meaning "steal" is 17c. from alternate meaning "a basket," and this is probably source of student slang "plagiarize" (1778). Thieves' slang for "dwelling house" dates to at least 1812. The O.H.G. version passed to Fr. and became creche. Cribbage is first recorded 1630.
crimp - 1638; O.E. had gecrympan "to crimp, curl," but the modern word is probably from M.Du. or L.Ger. crimpen/krimpen "to shrink, crimp."
cringe - from causative of O.E. cringan "give way, fall (in battle), become bent," from P.Gmc. *krank- "bend, curl up."
crinkle - freq. of O.E. crincan, var. of cringan "to bend, yield."
cripple - O.E. crypel, related to cryppan "to crook, bend," from P.Gmc. *krupilaz, and/or related to O.E. creopan "to creep."
crisp - O.E. crisp "curly," from L. crispus "curled." It began to mean "brittle" 1530, for obscure reasons.
crisscross - 1818, from M.E. crist-crosse "Christ's cross."
croak - 14c., crouken, onomatopoeic or related to O.E. cracian (see crack). Slang meaning "to die" is first recorded 1812, from sound of death rattle. Croaker "prophet of evil" is from the raven.
crock - O.E. crocc, crocca "pot," from P.Gmc. *krogu "pitcher, pot."
croft - O.E. croft "enclosed field."
crook - 12c., from O.N. krokr "hook, corner." Meaning of "swindler" is Amer.Eng. 1870s, but crooked "dishonest" was in M.E.
croon - c.1400, from M.Du. kronen "to lament, mourn," perhaps onomatopoeic. Originally "to bellow like a bull," sense evolved 19c. to "lament," then to "sing softly and sadly." Crooner is from 1930.
crop - O.E. cropp "bird's craw," also "head or top of a sprout or herb." Meaning of "harvest product" is c.1300, probably through verb meaning "cut off the top of a plant" (c.1200). The general meaning of "to cut off" is c.1400.
croquet - 1858, game popularized in Ireland c.1830, England c.1850, borrowed from Northern Fr. dialect croquet "hockey stick," from O.N.Fr. "shepherd's crook," from O.Fr. croc, from O.N. krokr "hook."
cross - O.E. cros, from O.Ir. cros, probably via Scand., from L. crux (gen. crucis) "stake, cross," orig. a tall, round pole, possibly of Phoenician origin. Replaced O.E. rood. The adjective meaning "ill-tempered" is 1639, probably from 16c. sense of "contrary, athwart." Cross-stitch is first recorded 1710; cross-examine is from 1664; cross-fire from 1860; and cross-eye from 1826. Cross-dressing is from 1911, a translation of Ger. Transvestismus. Crossword puzzle is from Jan. 1914; the first one ran in "New York World" newspaper Dec. 21, 1913, but at first was called word-cross.
crow - O.E. crawe (v. crawian) immitative of bird's cry. Phrase eat crow is probably based on the notion that the bird is edible but hardly agreeable; first attested 1877, Amer.Eng., but said to date to War of 1812 (but Walter Etecroue turns up 1361 in the Calendar of Letter Books of the City of London). Crow's foot "wrinkle around the corner of the eye" is M.E. Crowbar is either from resemblance to a crow's foot or possibly from crows, from O.Fr. cros, pl. of croc "hook."
crowd - O.E. crudan "to press, crush." The noun is first attested 1567.
crumb - O.E. cruma, the -b- appeared c.1450 by analogy with words like dumb.
crumble - O.E. *crymelan, presumed freq. of gecrymman "to break into crumbs," from cruma (see crumb). Crummy "easily crumbled" (1567) yielded a slang sense of "poorly made" 1859. But the sense was probably influenced by mid-19c. slang crumb "body louse," so called from resemblance (cf. lousy).
crumple - early 14c., crumplen, freq. of crumpen "to curl up," from O.E. crump "bent, crooked."
cruse - M.E., perhaps related to O.N. krus "pot, tankard," of unknown origin.
crutch - O.E. crycce "staff," from P.Gmc. *krukjo. Figurative sense is first recorded 1602.
cub - 1530, cubbe "young fox," perhaps from O.Ir. cuib "whelp," or from O.N. kobbi "seal." Cub Scout is from 1922.
cucking stool - M.E., from cuck "to void excrement," from O.N. kuka "feces" (the chair was sometimes in the form of a close-stool). Also known as trebucket and castigatory, it was used on disorderly women and fraudulent tradesmen, either in the form of public exposure to ridicule or for ducking in a pond.
cud - O.E. cudu "cud," earlier cwudu, from PIE base *gwet- "resin, gum."
cudgel - O.E. cycgel "club with rounded head," from PIE base *geu- "to curve, bend."
cuff (v.) - "hit," 1530, perhaps from Swed. kuffa "to thrust, push."
Cumberland - O.E. Cumbra land (945) "region of the Cymry" (see Cymric).
cunt - M.E. cunte "female genitalia," akin to O.N. kunta, from P.Gmc. *kunton. According to Ayto, first known reference in Eng. is c.1230 Oxford street name Gropecuntlane, presumably a haunt of prostitutes. Some suggest a link with L. cuneus "wedge." Avoided in public speech since 15c., considered obscene since 17c. Du. cognate de kont means "a bottom, an arse." Du. also has attractive poetic slang ways of expressing this organ, such as liefdesgrot, lit. "cave of love," and vleesroos "rose of flesh."
curd - metathesis of crud (14c.), originally "any coagulated substance," probably from O.E. crudan "to press, drive," from PIE base *greut- "to press, coagulate," perhaps through ancestor of Gael. gruth. Curdle is c.1630, from crudle (1590), frequentive of crud.
curl - 1440, metathesis of crulle (c.1380), probably from O.E. or from M.Du. krul "curly," from P.Gmc. *krusl-. The game of curling is from 1620; curlicue is from 1858, perhaps from the letter Q.
currant - 1540, from M.E. raysyn of Curans "raisins of Corinth," with the -s- mistaken for a pl. inflection. From Anglo-Fr. reisin de Corauntz. The small, seedless raisins were exported from southern Greece. Then in 16c. the word was applied to an unrelated berry (genus Ribes) on its resemblance to the raisins.
curse - O.E. curs "a prayer that evil or harm befall one," of uncertain origin, perhaps O.Fr. curuz "anger," or L. cursus "course."
cut (v.) - 13c., possibly Scand., from N.Gmc. *kut-, or from O.Fr. couteau "knife." Replaced O.E. ceorfan "carve," sniþan, and scieran "shear." Meaning "to be absent without excuse" is British university slang from 1794. The noun meaning "gash, incision" is attested from 1530; meaning "piece cut off" is from 1591; sense of "a wounding sarcasm" is from 1568. To cut a pack of cards is from 1598. Cutthroat (n.) is first recorded 1535. Cutter "boat belonging to a ship of war" is attested from 1745. Cutting edge (adj.) first recorded 1985.
cuttlefish - O.E. cudele "the cuttlefish;" perhaps related to M.L.G. küdel "container, pocket;" O.N. koddi "cushion, testicle;" and O.E. codd (see cod).