F

Source: the Online Etymology Dictionary
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fain - O.E. fægen, fagen "glad, cheerful, happy."
fair (adj.) - O.E. fæger "beautiful, pleasant," from P.Gmc. *fagraz, from PIE *fag-. Sense of "light complexioned" reflects medieval tastes in beauty; sense of "free from bias" evolved from another early meaning, "morally pure, unblemished."
fall (v.) - O.E. feallan (class VII strong verb; past tense feoll, pp. feallen), from P.Gmc. *fallanan. Sense of "autumn" (now only in U.S.) is 1664, short for fall of the leaf (1545). Most of the figurative senses had developed in M.E. Meaning "to be reduced" (as temperature) is from 1658. Fall guy is from 1906. Fallout "radioactive particles" is from 1950.
fallow (n.) - O.E. fealg, fealh "arable land," from P.Gmc. *falgo. Originally "plowed land," then "land plowed but not planted" (1523).
fallow (adj.) - O.E. fealu "pale, faded, yellowish-brown," from P.Gmc. *falwaz, from PIE *polwos.
falter - c.1390, possibly from a Scand. source, or a frequentive of M.E. falden "to fold," infl. by fault.
fan (1) - O.E. (W. Saxon) fann "a basket or shovel for winnowing grain" (by tossing it in the air), from L. vannus, related to ventus "wind." Sense of "device for moving air" first recorded 1390; the hand-held version is first attested 1555. To fan out is from 1592. A fan-light (1819) originally was shaped like a lady's fan.
fang - O.E. fang "prey, spoils, a seizing or taking," from gefangen, pp. of fon "seize, take, capture," from P.Gmc. *fangg-. The sense of "tooth" probably developed 16c. from O.E. fæng-toth, lit. "catching- or grasping-tooth."
far - O.E. feorr "to a great distance, long ago," from P.Gmc. *ferro, from PIE *per-. In figurative sense, far-fetched is from 1607; far-sighted is 1641 in figurative sense, 1878 in literal sense (hypermetropic). Far-out began 1954 as jazz slang.
fare (n.) - O.E. fær "journey, road," strong neut. of faran "to journey;" merged with faru "journey, expedition, companions, baggage," strong fem. of faran. Original sense is obsolete, except in compounds (wayfarer, sea-faring, etc.) Meaning of "food provided" is pre-1200; that of "conveyance" appears in Scot. c.1425 and led to sense of "payment for passage" (15c.).
fare (v.) - O.E. faran "to journey, to make one's way," from P.Gmc. *faranan, from PIE *por- "going, passage."
farewell - 12c., from M.E. faren wel (see fare (v.)), usually said to the departing person, who replied with good-bye.
farrow (n.) - O.E. færh, from P.Gmc. *farkhaz "young pig," from PIE *porkos-. Sense of "a litter of pigs" first recorded 1577.
fart - O.E. feortan, ult. from PIE *perd- of imitative origin.
farther - var. of further, by 17c. replaced ferrer as comp. of the descendant of O.E. fierr "far" (itself a comp. but no longer felt as one). Vowel change infl. by the root vowel, and confusion with M.E. fertheren "to assist, promote, advance" (see forth). There is no historical basis for the notion that farther is of physical distance and further of degree or quality.
farthing - O.E. feorðung, a derivative of feorða "fourth" (from feower "four") + -ing "fractional part." Used in biblical translation of L. quadrans "quarter of a denarius;" the English coin (of silver, worth one-quarter of a penny), was first minted under Edward I and abolished 1971.
fast (adj.) - O.E. fæst "firmly fixed, steadfast," probably from P.Gmc. *fastuz. The adv. meaning "quickly, swiftly" is also in O.E., developing through a sense of "firmly, strongly, vigorously," or perhaps from the notion of a runner who "sticks" close to whatever he is chasing. The sense of "living an unrestrained life" (usually of women) is from 1746; fast and loose (1557) was an old cheating game; fast food is first attested 1951.
fast (v.) - O.E. fæstan "to fast" (as a religious duty), originally "hold firmly," sense evolution is via "firm control of oneself, holding to observance."
fasten - O.E. fæstnian "make fast, firm," from P.Gmc. *fastinojanan.
fat (adj.) - O.E. fætt, originally a contracted pp. of fættian "to cram, stuff," from P.Gmc. *faitaz. Fig. sense of "best or most rewarding part" is from 1570; teen slang meaning "attractive, up to date" (also phat) is attested from 1951. Fat cat "privileged and rich person" is from 1928; fat chance "no chance at all" attested from 1906. Fathead is from 1842; fat-witted is from 1596.
father (n.) - O.E. fæder, from P.Gmc. *fader, from PIE *p@ter, presumably from baby-speak sound like pa. The classic example of Grimm's Law, where PIE "p-" becomes Gmc. "f-." Spelling with -th- reflects widespread phonetic shift in M.E. that turned -der to -ther in many words; spelling caught up to pronunciation in 1500s.
fathom (n.) - O.E. fæðm "length of the outstretched arm" (a measure of about six feet), also "arms, grasp," and, figuratively "power," from P.Gmc. *fathmaz, from PIE *pot-/*pet- denoting "stretching out." The v. meaning of "take soundings" is 1607; its figurative sense of "get to the bottom of, understand" is 1625.
fawn (v.) - O.E. fagnian "rejoice," from fægen "glad" (see fain); used in M.E. to refer to expressions of delight, especially a dog wagging its tail, hence "act slavishly."
faze - 1830 Amer.Eng. variant of feeze "a rush, a violent impact," from M.E. fesen "frighten, drive away, discomfit," from O.E. fesian, fysian "drive away," from P.Gmc. *fausjanan.
fear (n.) - O.E. fær "danger, peril," from P.Gmc. *færa, Sense of "uneasiness caused by possible danger" developed 13c. The v. is from O.E. færan "terrify, frighten," originally transitive (sense preserved in archaic I fear me). Sense of "feel fear" is c.1390. O.E. words for "fear" as we now use it were ege, fyrhto; as a verb, ondrædan. Fearsome is attested from 1768.
feather - O.E. feðer "feather," in pl., "wings," from Gmc. *fethro, from PIE base *pet-.
feed (v.) - O.E. fedan "nourish, feed," from P.Gmc. *fothjanan. The noun sense of "food for animals" is first attested 1588. Fed up "surfeited, disgusted, bored," is British slang first recorded 1900, to U.S. by World War I. Feeding frenzy is from 1989, metaphoric extension of a phrase that had been used of sharks since 1950s.
feel (v.) - O.E. felan "to touch," from Gmc. *folijanan, from PIE base *pol-/*pal-. The sense in O.E. was "to perceive through senses which are not referred to any special organ." Sense of "touch" developed M.E.; that of "to have sympathy or compassion" is from 1605; feeling (n.) "emotion" is first recorded 1369; feelings "tender or sensitive side of one's nature" is 1771.
fell (v.) - O.E. fællan, (Mercian) fyllan (W.Saxon) "make fall," also "demolish, kill," causative of O.E. feallan (see fall (v.)), showing i-mutation, from P.Gmc. *fallijanan.
fellow - O.E. feolaga "partner," from O.N. felagi, from fe "money" + verbal base denoting "lay." Sense is of "one who puts down money with another in a joint venture." Used familiarly since M.E. for "man, male person," but not etymologically masculine. University senses evolved from notion of "one of the corporation who constitute a college" and who are paid from its revenues. At one fell swoop is from "Macbeth." Fellow-feeling (1613) attempted to translate L. compassio and Gk. sympatheia. First record of fellow-traveller "one who sympathizes with the Communist movement but is not a party member," is from 1936, translating Rus. poputchik.
felt (n.) - O.E. felt, from W.Gmc. *feltaz, from P.Gmc. *peltaz, from PIE *peldos- with a sense of "beating."
fen - O.E. fen, fenn "marsh, dirt, mud," from P.Gmc. *fanja-.
fence (n.) - early 14c. shortening of defens (see defense). Sense of "enclosure" is 15c. Fencible (M.E.) means "capable of making a defense; to fence (v.) with swords is first recorded in "Merry Wives of Windsor" (1598); fencing in this sense is from 1489. Sense of "dealer in stolen goods" is thieves' slang, first attested c.1700, from notion of such transactions taking place under defense of secrecy. Spelling alternated between -c- and -s- in M.E.
fern - O.E. fearn, from P.Gmc. *farnan, from PIE *porno-, a root which has yielded words for "feather, wing" in Gk. and Skt.; applied to the plant perhaps from the feather-like appearance of the fronds. The plant's ability to appear as if from nothing accounts for the ancient belief that fern seeds confered invisibility.
ferry (v.) - O.E. ferian "to carry, transport," from P.Gmc. *farjanan, from PIE *por- "going, passage." The n. is 13c., probably from O.N. ferju- "passage across water," ult. from the same Gmc. root. The modern n. use is a shortening of ferry boat.
fetch - O.E. feccan, apparently a variant of fetian, fatian "to fetch, bring, to marry," probably from P.Gmc. *fatojanan. Variant form fet, a derivation of the older O.E. version of the word, survived as a competitor until 17c. Fetching (adj.) appeared 1581 meaning "crafty, scheming;" the sense of "alluring, fascinating" is 1880.
fetter (n.) - O.E. feter "chain or shackle for the feet," from P.Gmc. *fetero, from PIE root *ped- "foot." The generalized sense of "anything that shackles" had evolved in O.E.
few (adj.) - O.E. feawe (contracted to fea), from Gmc. *faw-, from PIE *pau- "smallness."
fey - Scot. "of excitement that presages death," from O.E. fæge "doomed, timid," and/or O.N. feigr.
fickle - O.E. ficol "deceitful," related to befician "deceive," and to facen "deceit, treachery." Sense of "changeable" is first recorded c.1300.
field (n.) - O.E. feld "field," probably related to O.E. folde "earth, land," from P.Gmc. *felthuz "flat land," from PIE *pel(e)-tu-, from *pele- "flat, to spread." The Eng. spelling with -ie- is probably the work of Anglo-Fr. scribes. The verb meaning "to fight" is 16c., from the n. in the sense of "battlefield." Collective use for "all engaged in a sport" (or, in horseracing, all but the favorite) is 18c. The verb meaning "to stop and return the ball" is first recorded 1825, originally in cricket.
fiend - O.E. feond "enemy, foe," originally prp. of feogan "to hate," from P.Gmc. *fijæjan. As spelling suggests, it was originally the opposite of friend, but the word began to be used in O.E. for "Satan" (as the "enemy of mankind"), which shifted its sense to "diabolical person." The old sense of the word devolved to foe, then to the borrowed enemy. For spelling with -ie- see field. Meaning "devotee (of whatever is indicated)," cf. dope fiend, is from 1865.
fiery - c.1300, from M.E. fier "fire," the offbeat spelling is a relic of one of the attempts to render O.E. "y" in fyr in a changing system of vowel sounds.
fife - 1555, from Ger. Pfeife "fife, pipe," from O.H.G. pfifa, or via M.Fr. fifre from the same O.H.G. word. Ger. musicians provided music for most European courts in those days.
fifteen - O.E. fiftyne, from fif "five" + tyne "teen," from ten "ten."
fifth - O.E. fifta, from fif "five." Fifth column is 1936, from Gen. Emilio Mola's comment during the siege of Madrid during the Spanish Civil War, that he would take the city with his "fifth column" (quinta columna) in the city as well as his four columns of troops outside it. Fifth wheel "superfluous person or thing" first attested 1902.
fifty - O.E. fiftig, from fif "five" + -tig "group of ten."
fight (v.) - O.E. feohtan "to fight" (class III strong verb; past tense feaht, pp. fohten), from P.Gmc. *fekhtanan, apparently related to words for "hair" and carrying a sense of "pulling roughly." Spelling substitution of -gh- for a "y" sound was a M.E. scribal habit, especially before -t-. The noun is from O.E. feohte, gefeoht.
file (n2) - "metal tool," O.E. feol (Mercian fil), from P.Gmc. *finkhlo, from PIE *pik-/*peik- "cut."
fill (v.) - O.E. fyllan, from P.Gmc. *fullijan, a derivative of adj. *fullaz "full."
filly - 1404, fyly, possibly from O.N. fylja, fem. of foli "foal." Slang sense of "young girl" is from 1616.
film - O.E. filmen "membrane, skin," from P.Gmc. *filminjan. Sense of "a thin coat of something" is 1577, extended by 1845 to the coating of chemical gel on photographic plates. By 1895 this meant the coating plus the paper or celluloid. First used of "motion pictures" in 1905. The verb "to make a movie of" is from 1915.
filth - O.E. fylð, from P.Gmc. *fulitho (see foul). A classic case of i-mutation.
fin - O.E. fin, from P.Gmc. *finno, perhaps from L. pinna "feather, wing." U.S. underworld slang sense of "$5 bill" is c.1920, from Yiddish finif "five," from Ger. fünf.
finch - O.E. finc, from P.Gmc. *finkiz, *finkjon.
find - O.E. findan "come upon, alight on" (class III strong verb; past tense fand, pp. funden), from P.Gmc. *finthanan.
finger - O.E. fingor, from P.Gmc. *fingraz, with descendants widespread in the Gmc. languages but no cognates elsewhere; perhaps connected with PIE *pengke, the root meaning "five." As a unit of measure (M.E.) it represents the breadth of a finger, about three-quarters of an inch. The verb meaning "identify a criminal" is underworld slang first recorded 1930.
Finn - O.E. finnas, from O.N. finnr, the Norsemen's name for the Suomi.
fir - c.1300. O.E. had furhwudu "pine wood," but the modern word is more likely from O.N. fyri- "fir," both from P.Gmc. *furkhon, from PIE base *perkos.
fire (n.) - O.E. fyr, from P.Gmc. *fuir, from PIE *perjos. Current spelling is attested as early as 1200, but did not fully displace M.E. fier (preserved in fiery) until c.1600. The v. sense of "sack, dismiss" is first recorded 1885 in Amer.Eng., probably from a play on the two meanings of discharge: "to dismiss from a position," and "to fire a gun," the second sense being from "set fire to gunpowder," attested from 1530. The first use of fireman as "person hired to put out (rather than tend) fires" is 1714. Firecracker is Amer.Eng. coinage for what is in England just cracker, but the U.S. word distinguishes it from the word meaning "biscuit." Firefly is attested from 1658. Fired up "angry" is from 1824.
firkin - "fourth part of a barrel," 1391, from M.Du. *vierdekijn, dim. of vierde, lit. "fourth, fourth part."
first - O.E. fyrst "foremost," superl. of fore, from P.Gmc. *fur-/*for-, from PIE *pro-. First-class (1858) is from universities; first-rate (1666) is from classes of warships in the British navy. First aid is that given at the scene, pending the arrival of a doctor; firsthand is attested from 1732.
firth - c.1425, Scot., from O.N. fjörðr (see fjord).
fish (n.) - O.E. fisc, from P.Gmc. *fiskaz, from PIE *piskos. The verb is O.E. fiscian. fishy "shady, questionable" is first recorded 1840, no doubt from the intrusive odor. Fish story attested from 1819, from the tendency to exaggerate the size of the catch (or the one that got away). Fishtail (v.), of vehicles, first recorded 1927.
fist - O.E. fyst, from W.Gmc. *fustiz, from P.Gmc. fukhstiz, ult. from PIE *pengke "five." Fisticuff is first recorded 1605.
fit (1) - "the way something fits," is early 13c., originally "an adversary of equal power," later (1823) "the fitting of one thing to another," and (1831) "the way something fits." Origin obscure, possibly from O.E. fitt "a conflict, a struggle." Later meanings are from the derived v., M.E. fitten "to marshal troops," later, "to be suitable."
fit (2) - "sudden attack" (as of anger), probably from O.E. fitt "conflict, struggle," of uncertain origin. Meaning "a sudden sharp attack, paroxysm" is from 1547. Fitful was used once by Shakespeare ("Macbeth" iii.2) in sense of "characterized by fits," then revived c.1810 with a sense of "shifting, changing."
five - O.E. fif, from P.Gmc. *fimfe, from PIE *pengke (source of Gk. pente, L. quinque, Skt. panca, etc.).
flag (v.) - 1545, perhaps a variant of M.E. flakken, flacken "to flap, flutter," probably from O.N. flakka "to flicker, flutter." Original meaning was "flap about loosely;" sense of "go limp, droop" is first recorded 1611. Meaning "to designate as someone who will not be served more liquor" is from 1980s.
flail (n.) - from an unrecorded O.E. *flegel, which probably represents a W.Gmc. borrowing of L.L. flagellum "winnowing tool, flail," from L. flagellum "whip." The v. is pre-1500, from the n.
flake (n.) - early 14c., possibly O.E. *flacca "flakes of snow," from O.N. flak "loose or torn piece" (related to O.N. fla "to skin," see flay), from P.Gmc. *flak-. Flaky "eccentric, crazy" first recorded 1959, Amer.Eng. baseball slang, but probably from earlier druggie slang flake "cocaine" (1920s).
flat (adj.) - c.1300, from O.N. flatr, from P.Gmc. *flataz, from PIE *pla-. Sense of "prosaic, dull" is from 1573; used of drink from 1607; of musical notes from 1591. Flat-footed "unprepared" is from 1912, earlier "straightforwardly" (1828). Flat-out "open, direct," originally meant "total failure" (1870). Flatware is distinguished from hollow ware.
flat (n.) - 1801, from Scot. flat "floor or story of a house," from O.E. flet "a dwelling, floor, ground."
flaw - early 14c., from O.N. flaga "stone slab, flake," sense of "defect, fault" first recorded 1586, first of character, later (1604) of material things.
flax - O.E. fleax "cloth made with flax, linen," from P.Gmc. *flakhsan
flay - O.E. flean "to skin," from P.Gmc. *flakhanan.
flea - O.E. fleah, from P.Gmc. *flaukh-.
fleck (v.) - O.N. flekka "to spot," from P.Gmc. *flekk-. The noun is first recorded 1598, probably from the verb.
fledge - O.E. flycge (Kentish fligge), from W.Gmc. *fluggja-. Originally an adj. meaning "having the feathers, fit to fly." Fledgling is first recorded 1846.
flee - O.E. fleon "take flight" (contracted class II strong verb; past tense fleah, pp. flogen), from P.Gmc. *thleukhanan, of unknown origin. Weak pt./pp. fled emerged M.E., under influence of Scand.
fleece (n.) - O.E. fleos, from P.Gmc. *flusaz, from PIE *plus-. The verb is 1537 in the literal sense and 1577 in the figurative meaning "to cheat, swindle."
fleer (v.) - M.E., perhaps from Scand. (cf. dial. Norw. flira, dial. Dan. flire "to grin, titter").
fleet (n.) - O.E. fleot "ship, floating vessel," from fleotan "to float." Sense of "naval force" is pre-1200. The O.E. word also meant "creek, inlet, flow of water," especially one into the Thames near Ludgate Hill, which lent its name to Fleet Street, Fleet prison, etc.
fleet (adj.) - O.N. fljötr "swift," from P.Gmc. *fleut-. But fleeting is from obsolete M.E. verb fleet "to drift," later "to fly, move swiftly," from O.E. fleotan "to float, swim."
Fleming - O.E. Flæming "native or inhabitant of Flanders."
flesh - O.E. flæsc "flesh, meat." Figurative uses were in O.E. Fleshpot is from 1535, "pot in which flesh is boiled," hence "luxuries regarded with envy."
flicker (v.) - O.E. flicorian "to flutter, flap quickly and lightly," originally of birds. Onomatopoeic of quick motion. Sense of "shine with a wavering light" is 1605, but not common till 19c.
flight (1) - "flying," O.E. flyht "a flying, flight." from P.Gmc. *flukhtiz. Spelling altered from M.E. fliht c. 1385 (see fight). Meaning "series of stairs between landings" is from 1703. Flighty is 1552 in sense of "swift," later (1768) "fickle or frivolous," originally of skittish horses.
flight (2) - "fleeing," not found in O.E., but presumed to have existed. Related to O.E. fleon "flee."
fling (v.) - 13c., probably from O.N. flengja. The M.E. intransitive sense is preserved in phrase have a fling at "make a try." The noun sense of "period of indulgence on the eve of responsibilities" first attested 1827. An obsolete word for "streetwalker, harlot" was fling-stink.
flint - O.E. flint "flint, rock." Transfered senses were in O.E. Flintlock is from 1683.
flit - 12c., flutten "convey, move, take," perhaps from O.N. flytja, from P.Gmc. *flotojan. Flitter, with frequentive suffix, is attested from 1542.
float - O.E. flotian "to float" (class II strong verb; past tense fleat, pp. floten), from P.Gmc. *flutojanan.
flock (n.) - O.E. flocc "a group of persons," not found in other Gmc. languages, perhaps related to folc "people," but the metathesis would have been unusual for O.E.
flood (n.) - O.E. flod "a flowing of water, river, sea, flood," from P.Gmc. *flothuz, from PIE *plo-/*pleu- "flow, float."
floor (n.) - O.E. flor "floor," from P.Gmc. *floruz "floor," from PIE *pele- "flat, to spread." The verbal sense of "puzzle, confound" is 1830, from notion of "knock down to the floor" (1642).
flow (v.) - O.E. flowan (class VII strong verb; past tense fleow, pp. flowen), from P.Gmc. *flo-, from PIE *pleu- "flow, float."
flue - 1582, perhaps related to 15c. word meaning "mouthpiece of a hunting horn," and perhaps from O.E. flowan "to flow," and/or O.Fr. fluie "stream."
fluke (3) - "flatfish," O.E. floc "flatfish."
flutter - O.E. floterian "float to and fro, be tossed by waves," freq. of flotian "to float."
fly (n.) - O.E. flege, from P.Gmc. *fleugjon. Originally "any winged insect" (hence butterfly, etc.); long used by farmers and gardeners for any insect parasite. Slang adj. meaning "clever, alert" first recorded 1811 may be from the notion of the insect being hard to catch (other theories trace it to fledge or flash); 1990s use may be a revival or a reinvention. Fly on the wall "unseen observer" first recorded 1949.
fly (v1.) - "to soar through air," O.E. fleogan (class II strong verb; past tense fleag, pp. flogen), from W.Gmc. *fleuganan, from PIE *pleu- "flowing, floating." Notion of "flapping as a wing does" led to sense of "tent flap" (1810), which yielded (1844) "covering for buttons that close up a garment." The slang sense (n. and adj.) "wide awake" is 18c., perhaps from fledge. Flyer "small handbill or fly-sheet" is 1889, U.S. slang, from notion of "made to be scattered broadcast." Flying saucer first attested 1947, though the image of saucers for unidentified flying objects is from at least 1880s. Fly-by-night was said to be an old term of reproach to a woman, signifying that she was a witch; extended early 19c. to anyone who departs hastily from a recent activity. Slang phrase fly off the handle "lose one's cool" dates from 1825. Flying colors (1706) is probably from the image of a naval vessel with the national flag bravely displayed. Flying fuck originally meant "have sex on horseback" and is first attested c.1800 in broadside ballad "New Feats of Horsemanship."
fly (v2.) - "run away," O.E. fleon (see flee). Fleogan and fleon were often confused in O.E., too. Mod.Eng. distinguishes in preterite: flew/fled.
foal - O.E. fola, from P.Gmc. *fulon.
foam (n.) - O.E. fam "foam, froth," from P.Gmc. *faima, from PIE *poimo-. The verb is from O.E. famgian "to foam."
fob (n.) - 1653, originally "small pocket for valuables," probably related to Low Ger. fobke "pocket."
fodder - O.E. fodor, from P.Gmc. *fodran. Etymologically this is the same word as food.
foe - O.E. gefa "adversary in deadly feud," from fah "at feud, hostile," from P.Gmc. *fakhaz.
fog - 1544, from O.N. fok "snow flurry;" the 14c. fog meaning "long grass" may be a different word. Foggy Bottom "U.S. Department of State" is 1950, from the name of a marshy region of Washington, D.C., where many federal buildings are (also with a punning alluson to political murkiness).
foist - 1545, from Du. vuisten "take in hand," from M.Du. vuist "fist." Earliest sense was cheating at dice by concealing one in the palm of the hand.
fold (v.) - O.E. faldan (Mercian), fealdan (W.Saxon), class VII strong verb (past tense feold, pp. fealden), from P.Gmc. *falthanan, from PIE *pel-. The n. meaning "a bend or ply in anything" is c.1250, from the verb. Folder "folding cover for loose papers," is first recorded 1911.
fold (n.) - "pen or enclosure for sheep or other domestic animals, O.E. falæd, falud, a Gmc. word (cf. E.Fris. folt "enclosure, dunghill"), of uncertain origin.
folk - O.E. folc "common people, army, tribe, multitude," from P.Gmc. *folkan. Folklore coined by antiquarian W.J. Thoms as an Anglo-Saxonism (replacing popular antiquaries) and first published in the "Athenaeum" of Aug. 22, 1846.
follow - O.E. folgian "follow, pursue," from W.Gmc. *fulg-, probably a compound of *full-gan with a sense of "full-going."
fond - c.1340, originally "foolish, silly," from pt. of fonnen "to fool, be foolish," perhaps from M.E. fonne "fool," of uncertain origin, or related to fun. Meaning evolved late 16c. via "foolishly tender" to "having strong affections for."
food - O.E. foda, from P.Gmc. *fodon, from PIE *pa-/*pi-.
foot - O.E. fot, from P.Gmc. *fot, from PIE *pod-/*ped- (cf. Goth. fotus, L. pes, Skt. pad-, Lith. padas "sole"). Plural form feet is an instance of i-mutation. The linear measurement of 12 inches is first recorded in O.E., from the length of a man's foot. To foot a bill is attested from 1848, from the process of tallying the expenses and writing the figure at the foot of the bill. Footlights is first attested 1836; footnote is from 1841.
for - O.E. for "for, before, on account of," from P.Gmc. *fura. A common prefix in O.E., where it could be intensive, destructive, or perfective. Its use alone as a conjunction (not found before 12c.) is probably a shortening of common O.E. phrases such as for þon þy "therefore."
forbear (v.) - O.E. forberan "bear up against, control one's feelings, endure."
forbear (n.) - 1470, from fore "before" + be-er "one who exists."
forbid - O.E. forbeodan, from for- "against" + beodan "to command" (see bid).
ford (n.) - O.E. ford, from P.Gmc. *furdhus, from PIE *prtus. The verb is attested from 1614.
fore - O.E. fore (prep.) "before, in front of;" (adv.) "before, previously." The warning cry in golf is first recorded 1878, probably a contraction of before. Foreplay is first recorded 1929; foreshadow is from 1577; foreshorten is from 1606; forever (adv.) is first recorded 1670; foreground is from 1695, originally in painting.
forego - O.E. forgan "go away, pass over, forego," from for- "away" + gan "go." Usually in foregone conclusion, which was popularized in Shakespeare's "Othello," but is used mistakenly. The similar foredone is now archaic, replaced by done for.
forehead - O.E. forheafod, with for- for fore- + heafod (see head).
foremost - O.E. fyrmest "earliest, first," related to fruma "beginning."
foresee - O.E. forseon, from fore- "before" + seon "to see, see ahead."
forestall - O.E. foresteall, from fore "before" + steall "standing position" (see stall (1)). Originally "an ambush, waylay." Modern sense is from 1585.
forget - O.E. forgytan, from for- "away, amiss, opposite" + gietan "get." Forget-me-not is 1532, from O.Fr. ne m'oubliez mye; the flower was supposed to ensure that those wearing it should never be forgotten by their lovers.
forgive - O.E. forgiefan "give, grant, forgive," from for- "completely" + giefan "give." A Gmc. loan-translation of L. perdonare (see pardon).
forlorn - pp. of obsolete forlesan "be deprived of, lose, abandon," from O.E. forleosan, from for- "completely" + leosan "to lose." Originally "forsaken, abandoned," sense of "wretched, miserable" first recorded 1582. Commonly in forlorn hope, which is a partial translation of Du. verloren hoop, in which hoop means "troop, band," lit. "heap," and the sense of the whole phrase is of a suicide mission. The phrase is usually used incorrectly in Eng., and the misuse has colored the sense of forlorn.
forsake - O.E. forsacan "decline, refuse," from for- "completely" + sacan "to deny, refuse."
forsooth - O.E. forsoð, from for-, intensive prefix, + soð "truth" (see sooth).
forswear - O.E. forswerian "swear falsely," from for- "completely" + swerian "to swear."
forth - O.E. forðian "forward, onward," perf. of for(e), from P.Gmc. *furtha-. Forthright is O.E. forðriht.
fortnight - contraction of O.E. feowertyneniht, lit. "fourteen nights," preserving the ancient Gmc. custom of reckoning by nights, mentioned by Tacitus in "Germania" xi.
forty - O.E. feowertig, from feower "four" + tig "group of ten." Roaring Forties are rough parts of the ocean between 40 and 50 degrees lattitude. Forty winks "short sleep" is attested from 1828.
forward - O.E. foreweard "toward the front." The verb is first recorded 1596. Sense of "early" is from 1526; that of "presumptuous" is attested from 1561. The position in football so called since 1879.
foster (v.) - O.E. *fostrian, from fostor "food, nourishment, bringing up," from P.Gmc. *foth-. O.E. also had the adj. meaning "in the same family but not related," in fostorfæder, etc.
foul (adj.) - O.E. ful "dirty, stinking, vile, corrupt," from P.Gmc. *fulaz, from PIE *pu- perhaps from the sound made in reaction to smelling something bad. O.E. ful occasionally meant "ugly" (contrasted with fæger (adj.), modern fair), a sense frequently found in M.E., and the cognate in Swed. is the usual word for "ugly." Foulmouthed first attested 1596. Foulmart was a M.E. word for "polecat."
foundling - 13c., from M.E. founden "found," pp. of finden (see find).
four - O.E. feower, from P.Gmc. *petwor-, from PIE *qwetwor. Fourteen is O.E. feowertyne. Slang four-eyes "person who wears glasses" first recorded 1874. Four-flusher is 1904, from verb four-flush "to bluff a poker hand, claim a flush with only four cards in the suit." Four-letter word first attested 1934. Slang 4-1-1 is from the telephone number called to get customer information.
fowl - O.E. fugel "bird," general Gmc. word (cf. Gothic fugls), from P.Gmc. *foglaz, probably by dissimilation from *flug-la-, thus from the same root as O.E. fleogan, modern fly (v.). Originally "bird;" narrower sense of "domestic hen or rooster" first recorded 1580, but in U.S. also extended to ducks and geese.
fox - O.E. fox, from W.Gmc. *fukhs (cf. O.H.G. fuhs, O.N. foa, Goth. fauho), from PIE *puk- "tail" (cf. Skt. puccha- "tail"). The bushy tail is also the source of words for "fox" in Welsh (llwynog, from llwyn "bush") and Sp. (raposa, from rabo "tail"). Metaphoric extension to "clever person" is pre-1250. The verb is from 1567. Meaning "sexually attractive woman" is from 1940s; but foxy in this sense is recorded from 1895. Foxed in booksellers' catalogues means "stained with fox-colored marks." Fox-trot (dance) 1915, on notion of a fox's short steps. Foxglove is O.E. foxes glofa, but the connection is obscure.
frame (v.) - O.E. framian "to profit, be helpful, make progress," from fram "forward," influenced by O.E. fremman "help forward, promote," and by O.N. fremja "to further, execute." Sense focused in M.E. from "make ready" to "prepare timber for building." Meaning of "compose, devise" is pre-1400; that of "fabricate a story with evil intent" is first attested 1514. The noun meaning "border or case for a picture or pane of glass" is from 1600.
frantic - c.1378, unexplained variant of M.E. frentik (see frenetic).
fraught - mid-14c., as fraughten "to load (a ship) with cargo," from fraght "cargo, lading of a ship," var. of freight, infl. by M.Du. vrachten "to load or furnish with cargo," from P.Gmc. *fra-aihtiz "absolute possession, property," from *fra-, intensive prefix + *aik "to be master of, possess." Figurative sense is first attested 1576.
fray (v.) - c.1405, from M.Fr. frayer, from O.Fr. freier, from L. fricare "to rub."
frazzle - early 19c., from E.Anglian variant of 17c. fazle "to unravel, fray" (like the end of a rope), from M.E. facelyn "to fray," from fasylle "fringe, frayed edge," dim. of O.E. fæs "fringe."
freak - probably related to O.E. frician "to dance." Sense of "capricious notion" (1563) and "unusual thing, fancy" (1784) preceded that in freak of nature (1847). The verb freak out is first attested 1965 in Amer.Eng., from freak (n.) "drug user" (1945), but the verb meaning "change, distort" goes back to 1911.
freckle - 1380, probably from O.N. freknur (pl.).
Frederick - from P.Gmc. *Frid-ric "peace-rule." Not a common medieval name in England, found mostly in the eastern counties.
free (adj.) - O.E. freo "free, exempt from, not in bondage," also "noble, joyful," from P.Gmc. *frijaz, from PIE *prijos "dear, beloved." The adv. is from O.E. freon, freogan "to free, love." Freedom is O.E. freodom. Freeloader first recorded 1930s; free fall is from 1919, originally of parachutists; free-hand is from 1862; free-thinker is from 1692; freelance (1820) is perhaps a coinage of Scott's, meant to suggest a medieval mercenary. Freebie dates back to 1942 as freeby, perhaps as early as 1900. Freewheeling is 1930s, from the name of a kind of automobile drive system that allowed cars to coast without being slowed by the engine.
freebooter - 1570, from Du. vrijbuiter, from vrijbuiten "to rob, plunder," from vrij "free" + buit "booty," from buiten "to exchange or plunder," from M.Du. buten.
freeze - O.E. freosan "turn to ice" (class II strong verb; past tense freas, pp. froren), from P.Gmc. *freusanan, from PIE base *preus-. Transitive sense first recorded 14c., figurative sense c.1400. Meaning "fix at a certain level, make non-transactable" is 1922. The M.E. pp. frore turns up occasionally in poetry.
freight - 1228, from M.Du. or M.L.G. vracht, vrecht, originally "cost of transport," probably from O.Fris., from P.Gmc. *fra-aihtiz "absolute possession, property," from *fra-, intensive prefix + *aik "to be master of, possess."
fresco - 1598, in fresco, lit. "in fresh," with a sense of "painted on fresh mortar or plaster," from It. fresco "cool, fresh," from P.Gmc. *friskaz.
fret (v.) - O.E. fretan "eat, devour" (in M.E., used of animals' eating), from P.Gmc. compound *fra- "for-" + *etan "to eat." Figurative sense of "irritate, worry, eat one's heart out" is c.1200. Modern Ger. still distinguishes essen for humans and fressen for animals.
Friday - O.E. frigedæg "Frigga's day," Gmc. goddess of married love, wife of Odin, from P.Gmc. *frijaz "noble, dear, beloved" (from the root of O.E. freogan "to love"). The day name is a W.Gmc. translation of L. dies Veneris, which itself translated Gk. Aphrodites hemera.
friend - O.E. freond, prp. of freogan "to love, to favor," from P.Gmc. *frijojanan "to love," related to O.E. freo "free." Feond ("fiend," originally "enemy") and freond, often paired in O.E., are masculine agent nouns derived from prp. of verbs.
fright (n.) - O.E. (Northumbrian) fryhto, metathesis of fyrhtu "fear, dread," from P.Gmc. *furkhtaz. Not etymologically related to the word fear, which superseded it as the principal word 13c. For spelling evolution, see fight. Frightful originally meant "timid," and like most -ful adjectives originally had an active and passive sense; Johnson noted it as "a cant word among women for anything unpleasing."
frizzle - "curl hair," 1565, perhaps related to O.E. fris "curly."
fro - early 14c. North British dial. fra, Midlands dial. fro, from O.N. fra "from."
frog - O.E. frogga, a dim. of frox, forsc, frosc "frog," from P.Gmc. *fruska-z. As a derogatory term for "Frenchman," 1778 (short for frog-eater), but before that (17c.) it meant "Dutch" (from frog-land "marshy land").
frolic - 1538, from M.Du. vrolyc (adj.) "happy," from vro- "merry, glad," + lyc "like."
from - O.E. fram, originally "forward movement, advancement," evolving into sense of "movement away," from PIE *pr-.
frost - O.E. forst, frost "a freezing, becoming frozen, extreme cold," from P.Gmc. *frusta-, related to freosan "to freeze." Frost-bitten first recorded 1593.
froth - c.1384, from O.N. froða, from Gmc. *freuth-. O.E. had afreoðan "to froth."
froward - O.E. fromweard "turned from or away," from from + -weard. Opposite of toward, it renders L. pervertus in early translations of the Psalms, and also meant "about to depart, departing," and "doomed to die."
frowzy - 1681, possibly related to dial. frowsty "smelly," of uncertain origin, perhaps related to O.E. þroh "rancid."
fudge (v.) - 1674, alteration of M.E. fadge "make suit, fit," of unknown origin.
fulfill - O.E. fullfyllan "fill up, make full," from full + fyllan. Used first of prophecy and perhaps a translation of L. implere, adimplere.
full (adj.) - O.E. full "completely, full," from P.Gmc. *fullaz, from PIE *ple-. Adverbial sense was common in M.E. (full well, full many, etc.).
fulsome - M.E. compound of ful "full" + -som "some." Sense evolved from "abundant, full" (c.1250) to "plump, well-fed" (c.1350) to "overgrown, overfed" (17c.) and thus "offensive to taste or good manners." Since the 1960s, however, it commonly has been used in its original, favorable sense, especially in fulsome praise.
fumble - c.1450, possibly from O.N. falma "to fumble, grope."
fungo - 1867, baseball slang, perhaps from dial. fonge "catch," a relic of O.E. fon "seize" (see fang), or possibly from the Ger. cognate fangen.
furlong - O.E. furlang, originally the length of a furrow in the common field of 10 acres, from furh "furrow" + lang "long." But the "acre" of the common field being variously measured, the furlong was fixed 9c. on the stadium, one-eighth of a Roman mile.
furlough - 1625, from Du. verlof, lit. "permission," from M.Du. ver- "completely, for" + laf "permission." The -gh spelling developed by 1770s and represents an "f" that was once pronounced at the end of the word.
furrow (n.) - O.E. furh "furrow," from P.Gmc. *furkh-, from PIE *prk-.
further - O.E. furðor (adv.), furðra (adj.), (ge)fyrðan (v.) "further, impel;" originally comparative of furðum (see forth), senses of "in addition, to a greater extent" are later metaphoric developments.
furze - O.E. fyrs, of unknown origin, with no known connections.