Etymology dictionary

shay (n.) — shazam

shay (n.)

1717, also chay; how chaise (q.v.) looked after it was wrangled into an English spelling and mistaken for a plural. Holmes's "Wonderful 'One-Hoss-Shay'" ("The Deacon's Masterpiece," 1858) was long common knowledge and often alluded to.

shake (v.)

Middle English shaken, from Old English sceacan "move (something) quickly to and fro, cause to move with quick vibrations; brandish; move the body or a part of it rapidly back and forth;" also "go, glide, hasten, flee, depart" (as in sceacdom "flight"); also intransitive, of persons or parts of the body, "to tremble" especially from fever, cold, fear (class VI strong verb; past tense scoc, past participle scacen).

This is reconstructed to be from Proto-Germanic *skakanan "to shake, swing," also "to escape" (source also of Old Norse, Swedish skaka, Danish skage "to shift, turn, veer"). There are said to be no certain cognates outside Germanic, but some sources suggest a PIE root *(s)keg- "to jump, to move" (compare Sanskrit khaj "to agitate, churn, stir about," Old Church Slavonic skoku "a leap, bound," Welsh ysgogi "move"). Also compare shock (n.1).

Of the ground in earthquakes, c. 1300. The meaning "seize and shake" (someone or something else) is from early 14c. From late 14c. in reference to mixing ingredients, etc., by shaking a container. The meaning "weaken, impair" in any respect is from late 14c. on the notion of "make unstable." The meaning "rid oneself of by abrupt twists" is from c. 1200; the modern colloquial use for "get rid of, cast off, abandon" (by 1872, American English) is likely a new extension on the notion of "throw off by a jolting or abrupt action," perhaps with horses in mind. The verb also was used in Middle English as "evade" responsibility, etc.

To shake hands "greet or salute by grasping one another's hands" dates from 1530s. Colloquial shake a (loose) leg "hurry up" is recorded by 1904; to shake a heel (sometimes foot) is an old or provincial way to say "dance" (1660s); to shake (one's) elbow (1620s) meant "to gamble at dice." In 16c.-18c. English, shake (one's) ears was "bestir oneself," an image of animal awakenings. The phrase more _____ than you can shake a stick at "more than you can count" is attested from 1818 (Lancaster, Pa., "Journal"), American English. To shake (one's) head "move one's head from side to side as a sign of disapproval" is recorded from c. 1300.

shake (n.)

mid-14c., "a charge, an onrush," from shake (v.). The meaning "a hard shock, concussion" is from 1560s; it is attested from 1580s as "act of shaking, a rapid jolt or jerk one way and then another;" by 1660s as "irregular vibration."

The hand-grip salutation is so called by 1712. A shake as a figure of a brief moment or instantaneous action is recorded by 1816; the exact shake intended is uncertain. OED's 1816 citation is in the shake of a hand and might be partly literal. The noun also meant "a trill in music." The version two (or three) shakes of a lamb's tail (1852) seems to be a U.S. dialect elaboration of the older use, earlier of a sheep's tail (Boston Weekly Globe, March 29, 1843, which identifies it as "a homely adage").

The phrase fair shake "an honest deal" is attested from 1830, American English (Bartlett calls it "A New England vulgarism"). The shakes "nervous agitation" is from 1620s; the sense of "trembling fit; intermittent fever" is by 1782. Shake as short for milk shake is attested by 1911. Dismissive phrase no great shakes (1816, Byron), indicating things of no account, perhaps is from dicing.

shake-down (n.)

also shakedown, 1730, "impromptu bed made upon loose straw," from the verbal phrase; see shake (v.) + down (adv.). The verbal phrase shake down is attested from late 14c. as "shake into place, compact by shaking" also "cause to totter and fall." The meaning "forced contribution" (1902) is from the verbal phrase in a slang sense of "blackmail, extort" (1872). Meaning "a thorough search" is from 1914; perhaps from the notion of measuring corn; the verbal sense of "to frisk or search" is by 1915 in police reporting.

shaken (adj.)

of persons, "weakened and disordered or agitated by shocks," 1640s, past-participle adjective from shake (v.). By 1725 as "put into quick or vigorous alternating motion."

shake-out (n.)

also shakeout, "business or stock market upheaval," 1895, from verbal phrase; see shake (v.) + out (adv.). The verbal phrase is attested from c. 1200, earliest as "empty a container."

shaker (n.)

c. 1400, "a sieve, a kitchen device;" by mid-15c. in the general sense of "one who or which shakes," agent noun from shake (v.).

From 1640s it was applied (with capital initial) to Christian sects whose devotional exercises gave some participants enthusiastic convulsions (compare Quaker). The best-known among the sects, originally followers of Mother Ann Lee but later based in America, were so called from 1784. The adjective with reference to furniture styles associated with these Shakers is recorded from 1866.

The meaning "container for mixing cocktails, etc." is recorded from 1868 (ancient Greek had seison as the name of a kind of vase, literally "shaker"). Related: Shakeress; Shakerism.

Shakespeare

the surname is recorded from 1248; it means "a spearman." This was a common type of English surname: Shakelance (1275), Shakeshaft (1332), etc. To shake (v.) in the sense of "to brandish or flourish (a weapon)" is attested from late Old English:

and was in use through Middle English. Compare also shake-buckler "a swaggerer, a bully;" shake-rag "ragged fellow, tatterdemalion," an old name for a beggar.

"Never a name in English nomenclature so simple or so certain in origin. It is exactly what it looks -- Shakespear" [Bardsley, "Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames," 1901]. Nevertheless, speculation flourishes.

The spelling is that of the first folio. The name was variously written in contemporary records, as all surnames were. In one signature, the author spells it Shakspere. It also was spelled Shakespear and Shakespere, the former being the proper modern spelling, the latter being the spelling adopted by the New Shakespere Society of London and the first edition of the OED and Century Dictionary. Related: Shakespearian (1753); Shakesperean (1796); Shakesperian (1755).

Shakespere

see Shakespeare.

shake-up (n.)

also shakeup, 1847, "a shaking or stirring up;" 1899, "reorganization;" from the verbal phrase; see shake (v.) + up (adv.). Also in colloquial use, "a commotion, disturbance" (1880s). The verbal phrase shake up is attested from 1753 as "to shake together for the purposes of combining;" by 1833 as "to loosen and restore (a pillow, etc.) to proper condition by shaking;" and by 1884 as "upset the nerves, agitate" on the notion of "jar thoroughly in such a way as to damage or impair."

shaky (adj.)

"trembling, unsteady," in any sense, by 1834 ("uncertain, of questionable integrity"); by 1840 of handwriting; 1841 of persons, horses, and credit; 1850 of structures; from shake (v.) + -y (2). Earliest use is in reference to trees or logs, "split, having fissures" (1808), the cracks being also called shakes. Related: Shakily; shakiness.

shako (n.)

also chako, cylindrical soldier's headdress with plume or pompon, 1815, from Hungarian csákó, short for csákós süveg "peaked cap," from adjectival form of csákó "peak, projecting point of a cow's horn," which some European etymologists derive from German zacken "point, spike," but which Hungarian sources regard as of unknown origin. Worn by infantry soldiers in 18c.-19c.

Shakti (n.)

in Hindu philosophy and theology, "divine power, active dimension of godhead," from Sanskrit saknoti "is able, is strong," which is said to be from PIE root *kak- "to enable, help."

shale (n.)

type of fine-grained sedimentary rock which splits readily into thin plates, 1747, possibly a specialized use of Middle English schale "shell, husk, pod" (late 14c.), also "fish scale," from Old English scealu (see shell (n.)) in its base sense of "thing that divides or separates," in reference to the way the rock breaks apart in layers. Compare Middle English sheel "to shell, to take off the outer husk" (late 15c.). The geological use also perhaps was influenced by German Schalstein "laminated limestone," and Schalgebirge "layer of stone in stratified rock," from the German cognate Schale "a scale, shell, husk, a slice, a thin layer."

shall (v.)

Old English sceal, Northumbrian scule "I owe/he owes, will have to, ought to, must" (infinitive sculan, past tense sceolde), from *skulanan, a common Germanic preterite-present verb (along with can, may, will), from Proto-Germanic *skul- (source also of Old Saxon sculan, Old Frisian skil, Old Norse and Swedish skola, Middle Dutch sullen, Old High German solan, German sollen, Gothic skulan "to owe, be under obligation"). This is said to be related, via a past tense form, to Old English scyld "guilt," German Schuld "guilt, debt;" also Old Norse Skuld, name of one of the Norns.

These Germanic words are reconstructed (Watkins, Pokorny) to be from a PIE root *skel- (2) "to be under an obligation." The basic sense of the Germanic word probably was "I owe," hence "I ought." Cognates outside Germanic include Lithuanian skelėti "to be guilty," skilti "to get into debt;" Old Prussian skallisnan "duty," skellants "guilty." But Boutkan gives the group no PIE etymology and writes that the alleged root, limited as it is to Germanic and Balto-Slavic, "is likely to represent an innovation on the basis of North European substrate material."

Shall survives as an auxiliary. The original senses are obsolete; the meaning shifted in Middle English from obligation to include futurity. It has no participles, no imperative, and no infinitive. Its past-tense form has become should (q.v.) and has acquired special senses of its own.

shallop (n.)

kind of light boat for use in shallow water or to communicate between larger vessels, 1580s, from French chaloupe, from Dutch sloep "sloop" (see sloop). Earlier a type of large, heavy boat (1570s). Compare Spanish chalupa, Italian scialuppa.

shallot (n.)

"small onion," 1660s, shortened from eschalot, from French échalote, from French eschalotte, from Old French eschaloigne, from Vulgar Latin *escalonia (see scallion). OED prefers shalot.

shallow (adj.)

c. 1400, schalowe, shaloue, "not deep" (of water, a river, etc.); also of the human body, "thin, emaciated," probably from the same source as Old English sceald "shallow" (see shoal (n.)), perhaps as an abbreviated form of *scealdig. Of breathing, attested from 1875; of thought or feeling, "superficial," by 1580s. Related: Shallowly; shallowness. The noun, usually shallows, "place where water is not deep" is recorded from 1570s, from the adjective.

shalom

Jewish word of greeting, Hebrew, literally "peace," properly "completeness, soundness, welfare," from stem of shalam "was intact, was complete, was in good health." Related to Arabic salima "was safe," aslama "surrendered, submitted" (compare Islam).

sham (n.)

1670s, "a trick put upon one, a hoax, a fraud, something that deludes or disappoints expectation," a word of uncertain origin. Along with the verb ("to cheat, trick") and the adjective ("false, pretended"), the word burst into use about 1677 according to OED. Perhaps they are from sham, a northern dialectal variant of shame (n.); a derivation suggested by 1734 and which OED finds "not impossible."

The main modern sense of "something meant to be mistaken for something else, something meant to give a false outward appearance" is from 1728 (the verb in the related sense is from 1690s); applied to persons by 1850.

The meaning "false front" in pillow-sham (1721) is from the notion of "counterfeit." Related: Shammed; shamming; shammer. Shamateur "amateur sportsman who acts like a professional" is from 1896. A song from 1716 calls the Pretender the Shamster.

shaman (n.)

1690s, "priest of the Ural-Altaic peoples of northern Asia," probably via German Schamane, from Russian sha'man, from Tungus saman, which, according to OED is perhaps from Chinese sha men "Buddhist monk," from Prakrit samaya-, from Sanskrit sramana-s "Buddhist ascetic." Extended to "similar personages in other parts" (OED), especially native Americans. Related: Shamanic.

shamanism (n.)

the general name applied to the religion of the inhabitants of northern Siberia, 1780, from shaman (q.v.) + -ism. Related: Shamanistic.

shamble (v.)

"to walk with a shuffling gait, walk awkwardly and unsteadily," 1680s (implied in shambling), from an adjective meaning "ungainly, awkward" (c. 1600), from shamble (n.) "table, bench" (see shambles), perhaps on the notion of the splayed legs of bench, or the way a worker sits astride it. Compare French bancal "bow-legged, wobbly" (of furniture), properly "bench-legged," from banc "bench." The noun meaning "a shambling gait" is from 1828. Related: Shambled.

shambles (n.)

"meat or fish market," early 15c., from schamil "table, stall for vending" (c. 1300), from Old English scamol, scomul "stool, footstool" (also figurative); "bench or stall in a market on which goods are exposed for sale, table for vending." Compare Old Saxon skamel "stool," Middle Dutch schamel, Old High German scamel, German schemel, Danish skammel "footstool." All these represent an early Proto-Germanic borrowing from Latin scamillus "low stool, a little bench," which is ultimately a diminutive of scamnum "stool, bench," from a PIE root *skmbh- "to prop up, support."

In English, the sense evolved from "place where meat is sold" to "slaughterhouse" (1540s), then figuratively "place of butchery" (1590s), and, generally, "confusion, mess" (1901, usually in plural).

shambolic (adj.)

"chaotic, disorderly," 1961, apparently from shamble in the sense "disorder" (see shambles), perhaps on model of symbolic.

shame (n.)

Old English scamu, sceomu "painful feeling of guilt or disgrace; confusion caused by shame; state of being in disgrace; dishonor, insult, loss of esteem or reputation; shameful circumstance, what brings disgrace; modesty," from Proto-Germanic *skamo (source also of Old Saxon skama, Old Norse skömm, Swedish skam, Old Frisian scome, Dutch schaamte, Old High German scama, German Scham), which is of unknown etymology. The best guess is that this is from PIE *skem-, from *kem- "to cover" (covering oneself being a common expression of shame).

It is attested by c. 1300 as "modesty, shyness, regard for propriety or decency;" by 1580s as "thing or person to be ashamed of." To put (someone or something) to shame "inflict disgrace or dishonor upon" is mid-13c. Shame culture attested by 1947. The interjection for shame! "you should be ashamed" is by c. 1300.

Also in Middle English "nakedness, private parts, the genitals," as in the Wycliffite Bible's shameful thingis for Latin verecundiora. and shamfast membris for the male genitalia.

Until modern times English had a productive duplicate form in shand. An Old Norse word for it was kinnroði, literally "cheek-redness," hence, "blush of shame." Greek distinguished shame in the bad sense of "disgrace, dishonor" (aiskhynē) from shame in the good sense of "modesty, bashfulness" (aidos).

shame (v.)

Middle English shamen, from Old English scamian "be ashamed, blush, feel shame;" by late Old English also transitive, "cause shame," from the root of shame (n.). Compare Old Saxon scamian, Dutch schamen, Old High German scamen, Danish skamme, Gothic skaman, German schämen sich.

The meaning "make ashamed, cover with reproach or indignity" is by 1520s. Related: Shamed; shaming.

shaming (n.)

"act of putting (someone) to shame or reproach; state of disgrace," late 14c., verbal noun from shame (v.).

shameful (adj.)

Old English scamful "modest, humble, respectful of propriety;" see shame (n.) + -ful. Original senses are long obsolete. The meanings "disgraceful, full of shame; causing shame" are by mid-13c. Related: Shamefully; shamefulness.

The Old English adjective scamlic "shameful, disgraceful" also could mean "modest," but Middle English shamely survived until 16c. Middle English had shamely (adv.) "shamefully" (Old English sceamlice), but this for some reason has fallen from use. The "Romans of Partenay" (c. 1500) has shamevous "shameful, disgraceful;" shameworthy is attested from late 14c., and a mid-15c. mystery play has shamously "shamefully."

shamefaced (adj.)

"modest, bashful," 1550s, a folk-etymology alteration of shamefast, "modest, humble, virtuous," also "ashamed of one's behavior," from Old English scamfæst "bashful," literally "restrained by shame," or else "firm in modesty," from shame (n.) + -fæst, adjectival suffix (see fast (adj.)). Related: Shamefacedly; shamefacedness.

shamefast

"bashful, modest," see shamefaced, which is a corruption of it. Related: Shamefastly; shamefastness.

shameless (adj.)

Middle English shameles, from Old English scamleas "lacking a sense of decency, impudent, bold and immodest;" see shame (n.) + -less. Also in Middle English "free from disgrace, blameless; excusable" (c. 1200). Similar formation in Old Norse skammlauss, Dutch schaamteloos, Old High German scamalos, German schamlos. Related: Shamelessly; shamelessness.

shammy

1650s (adj.); 1714 (n.), a phonological spelling of chamois. Other bungled spellings include shambo (1610s), shamois, shamoys, shammies. Compare shay from chaise; shappo (1700) for chapeau; shapperoon (1620s) for chaperon.

shampoo (v.)

1762, "to massage, rub and percuss the surface of (the body) to restore tone and vigor," from Anglo-Indian shampoo, from Hindi champo, imperative of champna "to press, knead the muscles," perhaps from Sanskrit capayati "pounds, kneads." The thing is thoroughly described in "A Voyage to the East Indies" (1762).

The meaning "lather and wash the hair" is recorded by 1860; extended 1954 to carpets, upholstery, etc. Related: Shampooed; shampooing.

shampoo (n.)

1838, "act or operation of shampooing;" 1866, "soap for shampooing;" from shampoo (v.).

shamrock (n.)

plant with trifoliate leaves, the national emblem of Ireland, 1570s, from Irish seamrog, diminutive of seamar "clover." Compare Gaelic seamrag "trefoil." The exact plant meant by it, if there ever was only one, is uncertain. Shamrockshire (1680s) was an old jocular name in England for "Ireland."

shamus (n.)

"police officer, detective," 1920, apparently first in "The Shamus," a detective story published that year by Harry J. Loose (1880-1943), a Chicago police detective and crime writer; the book was marketed as "a true tale of thiefdom and an expose of the real system in crime." The word is said to be probably from Yiddish shames, literally "sexton of a synagogue" (according to Israel Zangwill "a potent personage only next in influence to the President"), from Hebrew shamash "servant." Probably influenced by Celtic Seamus "James," as a typical name for an Irish cop.

shanachie (n.)

"skilled teller of tales and legends," from Old Irish sen "old" (from PIE root *sen- "old").

shandy (n.)

"mix of beer or bitter ale and fizzy lemonade or ginger-ale," 1888, shortening of shandygaff (1853) in the same sense, a word of obscure origin.

Shane

masc. proper name, pronunciation-based variant of Sean.

Shanghai

Chinese seaport, literally "by the sea," from Shang "on, above" + hai "sea." In mid-19c., the name given to a long-legged breed or type of hens, in great vogue at the time, supposed to have come from there. Hence the old U.S. slang senses relating to long, tall persons or things. Forming a "person from" word for it has challenged English. For a time mid-20c., Shanghailander was in jocular use.

shanghai (v.)

"to drug or otherwise render a man unconscious and ship him as a sailor on a vessel wanting hands," 1854, American English, from the practice of kidnapping to fill the crews of ships making extended voyages, such as to the Chinese seaport of Shanghai. Transferred or general sense of "to constrain, compel" is by 1919.

Shangri-La (n.)

imaginary earthly paradise, by 1938, from Shangri-La, name of Tibetan utopia in James Hilton's novel "Lost Horizon" (1933, film version 1937). In Tibetan, la means "mountain pass."

shank (n.)

"leg of a human or animal," especially "the part of the leg from the knewe to the ankle," Old English sceanca "leg, shank, shinbone," specifically, the part of the leg from the knee to the ankle, from Proto-Germanic *skunkia- (source also of Middle Low German schenke, German schenkel "shank, leg"), perhaps literally "that which bends," from PIE root *skeng- "crooked" (source also of Old Norse skakkr "wry, distorted," Greek skazein "to limp").

From late 15c. as "straight part of a nail or pin." As "part of an instrument, tool, etc., which connects the acting part with the handle," from 1680s. The slang sense of "latter part or end of anything" is by 1828. Jocular shank's mare "one's own legs as a means of transportation" is attested from 1774 (as shanks-naig).

shank (v.)

in golf, "to strike (the ball) with the heel of the club," by 1927, from shank (n.). Related: Shanked; shanking. Earlier as "to take to one's legs" (1774, Scottish); "to send off without ceremony" (1816, also Scottish).

Shannon

river in Ireland, the name is said to mean something like "old man river," from a Proto-Celtic word related to Irish sean "old" (from PIE root *sen- "old").

shan't

also sha'n't, 1610s, representing a colloquial contraction of shall not.

shanty (n.1)

"rough cabin, hut, mean dwelling," 1820, said to be from Canadian French chantier "lumberjack's headquarters," in French, "timber-yard, dock," from Old French chantier "gantry," from Latin cantherius "rafter, frame" (see gantry). Shanty Irish in reference to the Irish underclass in the U.S., is from 1928 (title of a book by Jim Tully).

shanty (n.2)

"sea song with a boisterous chorus," sung by sailors during heavy work to enable them to hoist or heave together in time with the song, 1867, an alternative spelling of chanty (n.).

shantung (n.)

type of coarse silk, 1882, from Shantung province, in China, where the fabric was made. The place name is "east of the mountain," from shan (mountain) + dong (east). The mountain in question is Tan Shan. West of it is Shansi, from xi "west."

shantytown (n.)

also shanty town, "community or settlement of mean or rough dwellings," 1836, American English, from shanty (n.1) + town.

Often, as here, the name of a specific place. Several early references are to a Menominee village in Wisconsin.

shape (n.)

Middle English shape, from Old English sceap, gesceap "external form; a created being, creature; creation; condition; sex, gender; genitalia," from root of shape (v.)).

The meaning "contours of the body, physique and stature" is attested from late 14c. The meaning "condition, state" is recorded by 1865, American English. In Middle and Early Modern English, the word in plural also had a sense of "a woman's private parts."

The meaning "definite, regular, or proper form" is from 1630s; hence out of shape "not in proper shape" (1690s). Shapesmith "one who undertakes to improve the form of the body" (i.e. a corset-maker) was used in 1715. Shape-shifter is attested from 1820. To be of all shapes and sizes is by 1777 in a general sense; prominent from 1810 in newspaper advertisements for manufactured items.

shapely (adj.)

"well-formed, having a regular and pleasing shape, handsome in appearance," late 14c., shapli, from shape (n.) + -ly (1). Related: Shapeliness. Shapeful (1610s) is rare.

shape (v.)

"create, fashion, form," Middle English shapen, from Old English scapan, past participle of scieppan "to form, create, make out of existing materials; bring into existence; destine" (past tense scop, often used of God).

This is reconstructed to be from Proto-Germanic *skapjanan "create, ordain" (source also of Old Norse skapa, Danish skabe, Old Saxon scapan, Old Frisian skeppa, Middle Dutch schappen "do, treat," Old High German scaffan, German schaffen "shape, create, produce"), from PIE root *(s)kep-, forming words meaning "to cut, scrape, hack" (see scabies), which acquired broad technical senses and in Germanic a specific sense of "to create."

Old English scieppan survived into Middle English as shippen, but shape emerged as a regular verb (with past tense shaped) by 1500s. The old past-participle form shapen survives in misshapen.

The meaning "to form in or with the mind" is from late 14c. Also by late 14c. as "prepare, get ready." The sense of "give a definite form to" is by 1580s. Specifically as "give direction and character to" (one's life, conduct, etc.) is by 1823.

The phrase shape up (v.) is literally "to give form to by stiff or solid material;" attested from 1865 as "progress;" by 1938 as "reform oneself, pull oneself up to a standard;" alliterative variant shape up or ship out is by 1951 in the newspapers, said to be Korean War U.S. military slang, with a suggestion of "do right or get shipped up to active duty."

shapeable (adj.)

1640s, from shape (v.) + -able.

shapeless (adj.)

early 14c., shaples, "destitute of regular form," also "misshapen," from shape (n.) + -less. Related: Shapelessly; shapelessness.

shapen (adj.)

c. 1300, "having (a specified) shape," from strong past participle of shape (v.).

shard (n.)

also sherd, "piece or fragment," especially "piece of baked clay, piece of broken pottery or tile," from Old English sceard "incision, cleft, gap; potshard, a fragment, broken piece," from Proto-Germanic *skardaz (source also of Middle Dutch schaerde "a fragment, a crack," Dutch schaard "a flaw, a fragment," German Scharte "a notch," Danish skaar "chink, potsherd"), a past participle from PIE root *sker- (1) "to cut."

Meaning "fragment of broken earthenware" developed in late Old English. Also used, by Gower (late 14c.), as "scale of a dragon." French écharde "prickle, splinter" is a Germanic loan-word.

share (n.2)

"broad iron blade of a plow," Middle English share, from Old English scear, scær "plowshare," properly "that which cuts," from Proto-Germanic *skeraz (source also of Old Saxon sker "razor;" Old Frisian sker, schere, Middle Low German schar, Old High German scar "plowshare," also German Schar, Dutch ploegschaar, Middle High German pfluocschar), from PIE root *sker- (1) "to cut." Compare shear (v.).

share (n.1)

[portion of something belonging to an individual], Middle English share, from Old English scearu "a cutting, shearing, tonsure; a part or division, a piece cut off," from the source of sceran "to cut," from Proto-Germanic *skeraz (source also of Old High German scara "troop, share of forced labor," German Schar "troop, band," properly "a part of an army," Old Norse skör "rim"), from PIE root *sker- (1) "to cut," and compare share (n.2).

In Old English mostly in compounds: landscearu "a share of land," folcscearu "a division of the people." By late 14c. as "part or definite portion of a thing owned by a number in common" (in reference to booty or war prizes); the specific commercial meaning "part of the capital of a joint stock company" is attested by c. 1600.

The same Old English noun in the sense "division" led to an obsolete noun share "fork ('division') of the body at the groin; pubic region" (late Old English and Middle English); hence share-bone "pubis" (early 15c.).

share (v.)

1580s, "to apportion to someone as his share; to apportion out to others; to enjoy or suffer (something) with others," from share (n.1). The meaning "to divide one's own and give part to others" is recorded from 1590s; also "have a part, get one's portion;" also, of two or more, "to each take a portion."

The sense of "confess one's sins openly" (1932, implied in sharing) is said in OED to be from the Moral Rearmament movement, in which "the sharing of our sins and temptations with another Christian life given to God" was a principal spiritual activity. Share and share alike is attested from 1560s. Related: Shared; sharing.

sharecropper (n.)

also share-cropper, 1887, in a U.S. Southern context; from share (v.) + agent noun from crop (v.); share-crop system is attested from 1871. As a verb, share-crop is recorded by 1867. Sharecropping (n.) is attested by 1936.

shareholder (n.)

"one who owns shares in a joint-stock or incorporated company," c. 1830, from share (n.1) in the financial sense + agent noun from hold (v.).

sharer (n.)

"one who divides or apportions; one who shares with others," c. 1600, agent noun from share (v.).

shareware (n.)

in computing, "software distributed free on a trial basis in hopes of selling it," by 1982, from share (v.) + ware (n.).

Sharia (n.)

Islamic religious law, 1855, from Arabic shari'ah "the revealed law," from shar' "revelation."

sharif (n.)

1550s, shereef, from Arabic sharif "noble, glorious," from sharafa "to be exalted." A descendant of Muhammad through his daughter Fatima.

shark (v.)

c. 1600, "to live by one's wits like a needy adventurer," a word of uncertain origin (see shark (n.)); according to OED, at least partly a variant of shirk. The transitive meaning "get or obtain by sharking" is from 1610s. The verb meaning "to fish for or catch sharks" is attested by 1860 (implied in sharking (n.)). Related: Sharked.

shark (n.2)

"a sharper, a cheat," 1590s, regarded as from shark (n.1), but probably originally a different word, and sometimes looked on as the source of shark (n.1), which see, and compare also the verb.

shark (n.1)

"large, voracious fish," by 1560s, perhaps mid-15c., if an isolated instance in a diary quoted in Middle English Compendium is the same word, of uncertain origin.

The meaning "dishonest person who preys on others," though attested from 1599 (sharker "artful swindler" in this sense is from 1594), may be the original sense, later transferred to the large, voracious marine fish. If so, it is possibly from German Schorck, a variant of Schurke "scoundrel, villain," agent noun of Middle High German schürgen (German schüren) "to poke, stir."

On an old theory, the English word is from a Mayan word, xoc, which might have meant "shark." Northern Europeans seem not to have been familiar with the larger sort of sharks before voyages to the tropics began. A slightly earlier name for it in English was tiburon, from Spanish tiburón (1520s), which probably is from a native word from South America, such as Tupi uperu "shark" (source also of Portuguese tubarão, Catalan tauró).

Middle English had hound-fish (early 14c.), which probably was used of dogfish and other small sharks. The general Germanic word seems to be represented by Old Norse har (Norwegian hai, Danis haj, Dutch haai, German Hai, also borrowed in Finnish, Latvian), which is of unknown origin. French requin is literally "grimacer," from Norman requin, from Old French reschignier "to bare the teeth, grimace."

An ancient Greek word for a shark was karkharias, from karkharos "sharp, jagged, biting," but the old theory that traces the English word to this has been dropped. Other Greek words for large selachians were aetos, bous, lamia, narkē; skylion was "dogfish." Latin used squalus, from the root of English whale (n.); Lithuanian ryklys is literally "swallower."

The English word was applied (or re-applied) to voracious or predatory persons, on the image of the fish, from 1707 (originally of pick-pockets); loan shark is attested from 1905.

sharker (n.)

1590s, "one who lives by his wits, an artful swindler," an extended form of shark (n.2).

sharkskin (n.)

also shark-skin, "the skin of a shark," used for binding books, polishing, etc., by 1822, from shark (n.1) + skin (n.). As a name for a type of fabric held to resemble it, it is recorded from 1932.

sharn (n.)

"dung of cattle, manure," a word surviving in Scottish English, Middle English sharn, from Old English scearn "dung, muck," from Proto-Germanic *skarnom- (source also of Old Frisian skern, Old Norse skarn, Danish skarn), a past participle form from root *sker- (1) "to cut." Compare sharn-bug (Old English scearnbudda) "dung beetle;" sharny-faced (1620s); Scottish Sharnie "a name given to the person who cleans a cow-house" [Jamieson].

Sharon

fem. proper name; from the name of the fertile coastal plain between Jaffa and Mount Carmel, from Hebrew, short for yesharon, properly "the Plain," from stem of yashar "was straight, was even" (compare Hebrew mishor "level land, plain"). A top-10 name for girls born in the U.S. between 1943 and 1949.

sharpness (n.)

"state or character of being sharp; keenness of edge or point; intellectual shrewdness," Old English scearpnis; see sharp (adj.) + -ness. "Ancrene Riwle" (c. 1200) has scharp schipe ("sharpship").

sharp (n.)

"a cheat at games," 1797, short for sharper (1680s) in this sense. Meaning "an expert, a connoisseur" is attested from 1840, and likely is from sharp (adj.). Musical sense of "a tone a half-step above a given tone" is from 1590s; as the name of the character which denotes this, by 1650s. The noun was used 14c. as "a pointed weapon, edge of a sword" and sharps is by 1834 as the name of one of the three usual grades of sewing needles (with blunts and betweens).

sharp (adj.)

Old English scearp "having a cutting edge; pointed; intellectually acute, active, shrewd; keen (of senses); severe; biting, bitter (of tastes)," from Proto-Germanic *skarpaz, literally "cutting" (source also of Old Saxon scarp, Old Norse skarpr, Old Frisian skerp, Dutch scherp, German scharf "sharp"), from PIE root *sker- (1) "to cut" (source also of Lettish skarbs "sharp," Middle Irish cerb "cutting").

The figurative meaning "acute or penetrating in intellect or perception" was in Old English; hence "keenly alive to one's own interests, quick to take advantage" (1690s). Of words or talk, "cutting, sarcastic," from early 13c. Meaning "distinct in contour" is from 1670s. The musical meaning "half step above (a given tone)" is from 1570s. Meaning "stylish" is from 1944, hepster slang, from earlier general slang sense of "excellent" (1940). Phrase sharp as a tack first recorded 1912 (sharp as a needle has been around since Old English). Sharp-shinned attested from 1704 of persons, 1813 of hawks.

Sharps (n.)

type of breech-loading single-shot rifle, 1850, from J. Christian Sharps (1811-1874), U.S. gunsmith.

sharp (adv.)

1836, "abruptly" from sharp (adj.). The sense of "promptly" is attested by 1840.

sharpener (n.)

"one who or that which sharpens," 1630s, agent noun from sharpen.

sharpen (v.)

late 14c., sharpenen, "intensify;" mid-15c., "make a point sharp or sharper," from sharp (adj.) + -en (1). Related: Sharpened; sharpening. The older verb was simply sharp (Middle English sharpen), from the adjective and partly from Old English gescirpan (West Saxon), scerpan (Anglian) "to score, scarify;" also compare scearpung "scarifying."

To sharpen (one's) pencil in the figurative sense of "prepare to get to work" is by 1957, American English.

sharper (n.)

1560s, "one who sharpens or makes sharp," agent noun from obsolete verb sharp "to make sharp" (see sharp (adj.)). The meaning "swindler, one shrewd in making bargains" is from 1680s, probably a variant of sharker (see shark (n.)). The shortened form sharpie in this sense is by 1942 (also sharpster), at that time also probably involving the "sharply dressed" sense of the adjective.

sharpie (n.)

1860, "a type of long, flat-bottomed sailboat, American English, from sharp (adj.) + -ie. Meaning "slicker, clever person" is by 1942 (see sharper).

sharply (adv.)

Middle English sharpli, from Old English scearplice "acutely, keenly; painfully, severely; attentively, quickly;" see sharp (adj.) + -ly (2). Old English also had adverbial form scearpe "sharply."

sharp-shinned (adj.)

1704, of persons, "having slender shanks," 1813 of hawks; see sharp (adj.) + shin (n.).

sharp-shooter (n.)

also sharpshooter, "one skilled in shooting with firearms," later especially the rifle, 1800; see sharp (adj.) + shoot (v.). A translation of German Scharfschütze, from scharf (adj.) "sharp" + schütze "shooter," from schießen "to shoot." Related: Sharp-shooting.

Shasta

mountain in California, named for local native tribe, for whose name Bright offers no etymology.

shatter (v.)

mid-14c. (implied in toschatered), "scatter, disperse, throw about," transitive, probably a variant of Middle English scateren (see scatter (v.)), perhaps reflecting confusion of sk- and sh- from Norse influence. Compare Old Dutch schetteren Low German schateren. Formations such as scatter-brained had parallel forms in shatter-brained, etc.

The meaning "break in pieces, as by a single blow" is from mid-15c. Intransitive sense of "fly apart, become scattered, be broken in fragments" is from 1560s. Related: Shattered; shattering. Carlyle (1841) used shatterment "act or state of shattering or being shattered." Shatters "fragments" is from 1630s.

shattering (adj.)

1560s, "that is broken suddenly;" 1570s, "ruinously destructive;" present-participle adjective from shatter (v.). Related: Shatteringly.

shave (n.)

c. 1600, "something shaved off;" from shave (v.); The Middle English noun shave (Old English sceafa) meant "tool for shaving." The meaning "operation of shaving the beard" is from 1838. The meaning "motion so close to something as to almost touch it" is by 1834. The figurative phrase close shave "exceedingly narrow miss or escape" is from 1856, on the notion of a slight, grazing touch.

shaving (n.)

"act of removing hair with a razor," also "thin slice taken off," late 14c., verbal noun from shave (v.). Shaving-cream is attested by 1851.

shave (v.)

Middle English shaven, from Old English sceafan (strong verb, past tense scof, past participle scafen), "to scrape, shave, or pare away; to polish," from Proto-Germanic *skaban (source also of Old Norse skafa, Middle Dutch scaven, German schaben, Gothic skaban "scratch, shave, scrape"), from PIE *skabh-, collateral form of root *(s)kep- "to cut, to scrape, to hack" (for which see scabies).

Related: Shaved; shaving. Original strong verb status is preserved in past tense form shaven. As "remove the hair or beard of with a razor" from mid-13c. Intransitive sense of "shave oneself, remove the beard with a razor" is by 1715. The sense of "remove by slicing or paring action of a keen-edged instrument" is from late 14c., as is the general sense of "cut down gradually by taking off thin pieces." Figurative sense of "to strip (someone) of money or possessions" is attested from late 14c.

shaveling (n.)

contemptuous term for a friar, literally "little shaven person," 1520s, from shave + -ling. "Very common in 16th and 17th c." [OED]. Also as an adjective (1570s).

shaver (n.)

early 15c., "one who shaves or cuts hair," agent noun from shave (v.); sense of "fellow, chap" is slang from 1590s. Meaning "shaving tool" is from 1550s (as a kind of medical instrument, early 15c.). Mad shaver (1610s) was 17c. slang for "a swashbuckler, roisterer."

Shavian (adj.)

1903, "in the style or manner of George Bernard Shaw" (1856-1950), from the Latinized form of his surname. An earlier unlatinized form was Shawian (1894).

shavuot (n.)

also shavuoth, "Pentecost," 1892 (Zangwill), from Hebrew šabuot, plural of šabua "week."

shaw (n.)

"strip of wood forming the border of a field," 1570s, a respelling of Middle English shau, shaue "wood, forest, grove, thicket," from Old English sceaga "copse," cognate with North Frisian skage "farthest edge of cultivated land," Old Norse skage "promontory," and perhaps with Old English sceaga "rough matted hair" (see shag (n.)). The Old English word also is the source of the surname Shaw (attested from late 12c.) in all its variations.

shawl (n.)

1660s, originally of an article of dress worn in Asia, from Urdu and other Indian languages, from Persian shal, sometimes said to be named for Shaliat, town in India where it was first manufactured [Klein]. French châle, Spanish chal, Italian scialle, German Shawl (from English), Russian shal all are ultimately from the same source. As the name of an article of clothing worn by Western women, it is recorded from 1767.

shawm (n.)

medieval oboe-like instrument, late 14c., shalemyes (plural), also schallemele, from Old French chalemie, chalemel, from Late Latin calamellus, literally "a small reed," diminutive of Latin calamus "reed," from Greek kalamos "reed, grass-stalk," often metaphoric of objects made of reed ("flute of reed, fishing rod, reed pen," etc.).

The Greek word is from PIE *kole-mo- "grass, reed," source also of Old English healm, Old High German halm "straw;" Latin culmus "stalk;" Old Prussian salme "straw," Latvian salms; Russian soloma. Sanskrit kalama- "writing reed," Arabic qalam are said by Beekes to have been borrowed from the Greek word.

Mistaken as a plural and trimmed of its "-s" ending from mid-15c. Perhaps also influenced along the way by Old French muse as the name of a wind instrument (as in the Middle English variant shalmuse). Related: Shawmist. Shawm also was used as a verb c. 1500, of ducks, "to honk" (make a noise like a shawm).

Shawnee

Algonquian people, probably originally from what is now southern Ohio, 1670s (adj.); 1690s (n.); from Munsee sawanow, from Shawnee /ša:wanwa/, the people's self-designation, literally "person of the south."

shazam

invented word from "Captain Marvel" comics, 1940.