attent (adj.) — au naturel (adj.)
late 15c., "attentive," from Latin attentus, past participle of attendere "give heed to" (see attend). As a noun, "intention, aim" (early 13c.), from Old French atente "act of attending," from fem. of Latin attentus.ETD attent (adj.).2
late 14c., "heedful, observant" (implied in attentively), from Old French atentif "expectant, hopeful," from past-participle stem of Latin attendere "give heed to" (see attend). The sense of "actively ministering to the needs and wants" (of another person) is from early 16c.ETD attentive (adj.).2
"heedfulness, attention. state of being attentive," mid-15c., from attentive + -ness.ETD attentiveness (n.).2
(abbreviated ADD), introduced as a diagnosis in the third edition of the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (1980), from attention in the "power of mental concentration" sense. Expanded to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ("the co-existence of attentional problems and hyperactivity, with each behavior occurring infrequently alone;" ADHD) in DSM-III (1987).ETD attention deficit disorder (n.).2
"to make thin, to make less," 1520s, from Latin attenuatus, past participle of attenuare "to make thin, lessen, diminish," from assimilated form of ad "to" (see ad-) + tenuare "make thin," from tenuis "thin" (from PIE root *ten- "to stretch"). Related: Attenuated; attenuating. Earlier was Middle English attenuen "to make thin (in consistency)," attested from early 15c., and Middle English had attenuat as a past-participle adjective.ETD attenuate (v.).2
early 15c., of persons, "emaciation;" of diet, "reduction," from Latin attenuationem (nominative attenuatio) "a lessening," noun of action from past-participle stem of attenuare "to make thin, lessen, diminish," from assimilated form of ad "to" (see ad-) + tenuare "make thin," from tenuis "thin" (from PIE root *ten- "to stretch"). The general sense of "a making less dense" is from 1590s; specifically of electrical currents by 1838.ETD attenuation (n.).2
"spider," Middle English atter-coppe, from Old English atorcoppe "spider," literally "poison-head," from ator "poison, venom" (Middle English atter), from Proto-Germanic *aitra- "poisonous ulcer" (source also of Old Norse eitr, Old High German eitar "poison;" German eiter "pus," Old High German eiz "abscess, boil;" Old English atorcræft "art of poisoning") + copp "top, summit, round head," probably also "spider" (compare cobweb and Dutch spinne-cop "spider").ETD attercop (n.).2
Archaic and provincial; used 20c. by Tolkien. It also lingered in Northern England dialect in the sense "peevish, ill-natured person" (c. 1500).ETD attercop (n.).3
"certified, proved," 1610s, past-participle adjective from attest (v.).ETD attested (adj.).2
1590s, "bear witness to, officially confirm; give proof or evidence of," from French attester (Old French atester, 13c.) "affirm, bear witness to," from Latin attestari "confirm, prove," literally "bear witness to," from assimilated form of ad "to" (see ad-) + testari "bear witness," from testis "witness" (see testament). Related: Attested; attesting.ETD attest (v.).2
mid-15c., attestacion, "testimony, a document embodying testimony," from Latin attestationem (nominative attestatio) "an attesting, testimony," noun of action from past-participle stem of attestari "to prove, confirm" (see attest). From 1670s as "a declaration in support of a fact."ETD attestation (n.).2
1590s, "pertaining to Attica" (q.v.), the region around Athens, from Latin Atticus "Athenian," from Greek Attikos "Athenian, of Attica." The Attic dialect came to be regarded as the literary standard of ancient Greece, and it passed into the koine of the Alexandrine and Roman periods. The word is attested from 1560s as an architectural term for a type of column base.ETD Attic (adj.).2
"top story under the roof of a house," by 1807, shortened from attic story (1724). Attic in classical architecture meant "a small, square decorative column of the type often used in a low story above a building's main facade," a feature associated with the region around Athens (see Attic). The word then was applied by architects to "a low decorative facade above the main story of a building" (1690s in English), and it then came to mean the space enclosed by such a structure. The modern use is via French attique. "An attic is upright, a garret is in a sloping roof" [Weekley].ETD attic (n.).2
"region around Athens," traditionally explained as from Greek Attikos (Latin Atticus) "of Athens" (see Athens), which is supported by Beekes. An alternative guess is that it is ultimately from Greek aktē "shore, maritime place," also "raised place."ETD Attica.2
c. 1300, atiren, "to fit out, equip; to dress in finery, to adorn," from Old French atirer, earlier atirier "to equip, ready, prepare," from a- "to" (see ad-) + tire "order, row, dress" (see tier). Related: Attired; attiring.ETD attire (v.).2
c. 1300, "equipment of a man-at-arms; apparel, dress, clothes," from attire (v.).ETD attire (n.).2
1660s, "posture or position of a figure in a statue or painting," via French attitude (17c.), from Italian attitudine "disposition, posture," also "aptness, promptitude," from Late Latin aptitudinem (nominative aptitudo; see aptitude, which is its doublet).ETD attitude (n.).2
Originally 17c. a technical term in art; later generalized to "a posture of the body supposed to imply some mental state" (1725). The sense of "a settled behavior reflecting feeling or opinion" is by 1837. The meaning "habitual mode of regarding" is short for attitude of mind (1757). Connotations of "antagonistic and uncooperative" developed by 1962 in slang.ETD attitude (n.).3
"pertaining to attitude," 1831; see attitude + -al (1), and compare -tude.ETD attitudinal (adj.).2
1784, "strike (physical) attitudes, pose affectedly, gesticulate;" see attitude + -ize. Of mental attitudes from 1864. Related: Attitudinized; attitudinizing. In 18c. English had also attitudinarian "one who affects attitudes" (1756).ETD attitudinize (v.).2
chiefly British English spelling of attitudinize; for spelling, see -ize. Related: Attitudinised; attitudinising.ETD attitudinise (v.).2
word-forming element meaning "one quintillionth," 1962, from Danish atten "eighteen" (a quintillion is 10 to the 18th power), related to Old English eahtatene (see eighteen).ETD atto-.2
late 13c., Anglo-French, "to turn over to another," from Old French atorner "to turn, turn to, assign, attribute, dispose," from a- "to" (see ad-) + tourner "to turn," from Latin tornare "to turn on a lathe," from tornus "lathe," from Greek tornos "lathe, tool for drawing circles" (from PIE root *tere- (1) "to rub, turn"). In feudal law, "to transfer homage or allegiance to another lord."ETD attorn (v.).2
early 14c. (mid-13c. in Anglo-Latin), "one appointed by another to act in his place," from Old French atorné "(one) appointed," past participle of aturner "to decree, assign, appoint," from atorner "to assign," literally "to turn to" (see attorn). The sense is of "one appointed to represent another's interests."ETD attorney (n.).2
In English law, a private attorney (attorney in fact) was one appointed to act for another in business or legal affairs (usually for pay); an attorney at law or public attorney was a qualified legal agent in the courts of Common Law who prepared the cases for a barrister, who pleaded them (the equivalent of a solicitor in Chancery). So much a term of contempt in England that it was abolished by the Judicature Act of 1873 and merged with solicitor.ETD attorney (n.).3
In U.S., barrister is not used and the general designation became properly attorney and counselor at law; when presenting a case in court, simply counselor. The double -t- is a mistaken 15c. attempt to restore a non-existent Latin original, perhaps by influence of legal Latin form attornare.ETD attorney (n.).4
"first ministerial law-officer of a state," 1530s (late 13c. in Anglo-French); see attorney + general (adj.). The word-order is French (subject first, adjective second), hence the eccentric English plural, attorneys-general.ETD attorney-general (n.).2
late 14c., attractif, "absorptive," from Old French atractif "having the power to attract" (14c.), from attract-, past-participle stem of Latin attrahere (see attract). The meaning "having the quality of drawing people's eye or interest" is from 1580s; the sense of "pleasing, alluring" is from c. 1600. Related: Attractively; attractiveness.ETD attractive (adj.).2
c. 1400, attraccioun, originally medical, "action or property of drawing (diseased matter) to the surface," from Old French atraccion (13c.) and directly from Latin attractionem (nominative attractio) "a drawing together," noun of action from past-participle stem of attrahere "to draw, pull" (see attract).ETD attraction (n.).2
It was extended by c. 1600 to magnetic forces; the figurative sense of "quality in a person which draws interest or imagination" is from c. 1600. The meaning "a thing which draws a crowd, interesting or amusing exhibition" is from 1829, a sense that developed in English and soon transferred to the French equivalent of the word.ETD attraction (n.).3
early 15c., attracten, "draw (objects or persons) to oneself," also a medical term for the body's tendency to absorb fluids, nourishment, etc., or for a poultice treatment to "draw out" diseased matter; from Latin attractus, past participle of attrahere "to draw, pull; to attract," from assimilated form of ad "to" (see ad-) + trahere "to pull, draw" (see tract (n.1)).ETD attract (v.).2
Of physical forces (magnets, etc.), from 17c. The figurative sense of "be attractive, draw to oneself the eyes or attentions of others" is from 1690s. Related: Attracted; attracting.ETD attract (v.).3
"that which attracts," 1660s, noun use of an adjective meaning "drawing to, attracting," from Latin attrahentem (nominative attrahens), present participle of attrahere "to draw, pull, attract" (see attract).ETD attrahent (n.).2
late 14c., "assign, bestow," from Latin attributus, past participle of attribuere "assign to, allot, commit, entrust;" figuratively "to attribute, ascribe, impute," from assimilated form of ad "to" (see ad-) + tribuere "assign, give, bestow" (see tribute). Related: Attributed; attributing.ETD attribute (v.).2
late 15c., "action of bestowing or assigning," from Latin attributionem (nominative attributio) "an assignment, attribution," noun of action from past-participle stem of attribuere "assign, allot; ascribe, impute," from assimilated form of ad "to" (see ad-) + tribuere "assign, give, bestow" (see tribute). The meaning "thing attributed" is recorded from 1580s.ETD attribution (n.).2
"pertaining to or having the character of attribution;" in grammar, "pertaining to or expressing an attribute," c. 1600, from French attributif, from stem of Latin attributus (see attribute (v.)). As a noun in grammar, "a word expressing an attribute," from 1750. Related: Attributively; attributiveness.ETD attributive (adj.).2
"quality ascribed to someone, distinguishing mark," especially an excellent or lofty one, late 14c., from Latin attributum "anything attributed," in grammar, "predicate," noun use of neuter of attributus, past participle of attribuere "assign, allot; ascribe, impute" (see attribute (v.)). IT is distinguished from the verb by having stress on the first syllable.ETD attribute (n.).2
"qualities belonging to someone or something," c. 1600; see attribute (n.).ETD attributes (n.).2
"ascribable, imputable," 1660s, from attribute (v.) + -able.ETD attributable (adj.).2
"wear down or grind down by means of sustained actions," 1956, U.S. Air Force back-formation from attrition in the military sense. It attained currency during the Vietnam War. Related: Attritted; attritting.ETD attrit (v.).2
early 15c., attricioun, "a breaking;" 1540s, "abrasion, scraping, the rubbing of one thing against another," from Latin attritionem (nominative attritio), literally "a rubbing against," noun of action from past-participle stem of atterere "to wear, rub away," figuratively "to destroy, waste," from assimilated form of ad "to" (see ad-) + terere "to rub" (from PIE root *tere- (1) "to rub, turn").ETD attrition (n.).2
The earliest sense in English is from Scholastic theology (late 14c.): "sorrow for sin merely out of fear of punishment or a sense of shame," an imperfect condition, less than contrition or repentance. The sense of "wearing down of military strength" is from World War I (1914). Figurative use of that is by 1930.ETD attrition (n.).3
"worn down, worn by rubbing or friction" (obsolete), 1620s, from Latin attritus, past participle of atterere "to wear, rub away" (see attrition). Related: Attriteness.ETD attrite (adj.).2
"put in tune, adjust to harmony of sound," also figurative, 1590s, from tune (v.), "probably suggested by ATONE" [OED]. Related: Attuned; attuning.ETD attune (v.).2
"a bringing into harmony," 1820, from attune + -ment.ETD attunement (n.).2
1969, acronym of all-terrain vehicle, which is attested by 1968.ETD ATV (n.).2
"between," c. 1400, from a- (1) + tween. Now obsolete or only Scottish.ETD atween (adv.).2
"twirling, in a twirl," 1864, from a- (1) + twirl (v.).ETD atwirl (adv.).2
"tangled, awry," 1754, from a- (1) + twist (v.).ETD atwist (adv.).2
"in a twitter," 1833, from a- (1) + twitter.ETD atwitter (adv.).2
"between, betwixt," late 14c., atwix, atwixen, from a- (1) + Middle English twix, twixt "among" (see betwixt). The unetymological -t begins by mid-15c. (compare amidst).ETD atwixt (adv.).2
"having no distinct or typical character," 1847, from a- (3) "not" + typical. Related: Atypically.ETD atypical (adj.).2
chemical symbol for the element gold, from Latin aurum "gold" (see aureate).ETD Au.2
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to shine," especially of the dawn. It forms all or part of: austral; Australia; Austria; Austro-; Aurora; east; Easter; eastern; eo-; Ostrogoth.ETD *aus- (1).2
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit usah "dawn;" Greek ēōs "dawn;" Latin Aurora "goddess of dawn," auster "south wind;" Lithuanian aušra "dawn;" Old English east "east."ETD *aus- (1).3
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to perceive."ETD *au-.2
It forms all or part of: aesthete; aesthetic; anesthesia; audible; audience; audio; audio-; audit; audition; auditor; auditorium; auditory; hyperaesthesia; kinesthetic; oyer; oyez; obedient; obey; paraesthesia; synaesthesia.ETD *au-.3
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit avih, Avestan avish "openly, evidently;" Greek aisthanesthai "to feel;" Latin audire "to hear;" Old Church Slavonic javiti "to reveal."ETD *au-.4
"song to be performed in open air in the early morning, musical announcement of dawn," 1670s, from French aubade "dawn" (15c.), from Provençal aubada, from auba "dawn," from Latin alba, fem. of albus "white" (see alb).ETD aubade (n.).2
"right of French kings to claim the property of a non-naturalized stranger who dies in their realm," 1727, from French (droit d'aubaine), from aubain "stranger, non-naturalized foreigner" (12c.), which is of unknown origin; perhaps from Medieval Latin Albanus, but the sense is obscure. Klein suggests Frankish *alibanus, literally "belonging to another ban." Abolished 1819.ETD aubaine (n.).2
"an inn," 1610s, from French auberge, from Old French alberge, earlier herberge "military station," from Frankish *heriberga or some other Germanic source (see harbinger). Related: aubergiste.ETD auberge (n.).2
"fruit of the eggplant" (Solanum esculentum), 1775, from French aubergine, from Catalan alberginera (showing typical change of al- to au- in French), from Arabic al-badinjan "the eggplant" (source also of Spanish alberengena, 15c.), from Persian badin-gan, from Sanskrit vatigagama. The plant, native to Southeast Asia, was unknown to the ancients and introduced to the Mediterranean by the Arabs. As the name of a color like that of the eggplant fruit, it is attested from 1895.ETD aubergine (n.).2
masc. personal name, from Old French Auberi, from Old High German Alberich "ruler of elves," or *Alb(e)rada "elf-counsel" (fem.); see elf (n.). In U.S., it began to be used as a girl's name c. 1973 and was among the top 100 given names for girls born 2006-2008, eclipsing its use for boys, which faded in proportion.ETD Aubrey.2
early 15c., "whitish, yellowish-white, flaxen-colored," from Old French auborne, from Medieval Latin alburnus "off-white, whitish," from Latin albus "white" (see alb). The meaning shifted 16c. to "reddish-brown" under influence of Middle English brun "brown" (see brown (adj.)) which also changed the spelling. Since the sense-shift it has generally been limited to hair. As a noun by 1852.ETD auburn (adj.).2
as an abbreviation in Roman history in reckoning of dates it represent either ab urbe condita (q.v.) "from the founding of the city" or Anno Urbis Conditae "in the year of the founded city," from ablative of annus "year" (see annual (adj.)) + genitive of urbs "city" (see urban) + genitive of condita, fem. of conditus, past participle of condere "to set up, put together" (see abscond)ETD A.U.C..2
"aware of current events," 1762, French, "with the current, in the current (of events);" see au + current (n.).ETD au courant (adj.).2
1708, "one whose business is to offer goods or property for sale by auction," from auction (n.) + -eer. From 1733 as a verb, "to sell by auction." Related: Auctioneering.ETD auctioneer (n.).2
"sell by auction," by 1723 (implied in auctioned), from auction (n.). Since early 19c., commonly with off (adv.). Related: Auctioning.ETD auction (v.).2
"public sale in which each bidder offers more than the previous bid," 1590s, from Latin auctionem (nominative auctio) "a sale by increasing bids, public sale," noun of action from past-participle stem of augere "to increase" (from PIE root *aug- (1) "to increase"). In northern England and Scotland, called a roup. In the U.S., something is sold at auction; in England, by auction.ETD auction (n.).2
early 15c., "boldness, courage, daring; vigor, animation," from Medieval Latin audacitas "boldness," from Latin audacis genitive of audax "bold, daring; rash, foolhardy" (see audacious). In English, the meaning "presumptuous impudence," implying contempt of moral restraint, is from 1530s.ETD audacity (n.).2
1540s, "confident, intrepid, daring," from French audacieux, from audace "boldness," from Latin audacia "daring, boldness, courage," from audax "brave, bold, daring," but more often "bold" in a bad sense, "rash, foolhardy," from audere "to dare, be bold," which de Vaan says is derived from avidus "greedy" (see avarice). In English, the bad sense of "shameless, unrestrained by propriety" is attested from 1590s. Related: Audaciously; audaciousness.ETD audacious (adj.).2
"able to be heard," 1520s, from French audible and directly from Medieval Latin audibilis "that may be heard," from Latin audire "to hear" (from PIE root *au- "to perceive"). Related: Audibly; audibility; audibleness.ETD audible (adj.).2
As a noun, "thing capable of being heard," from 1610s. The U.S. football sense of "signal called at the line of scrimmage to change the play called in the huddle" is by 1958.ETD audible (adj.).3
late 14c., "the act or state of hearing, action or condition of listening," from Old French audience, from Latin audentia "a hearing, listening," from audientum (nominative audiens), present participle of audire "to hear" (from PIE compound *au-dh- "to perceive physically, grasp," from root *au- "to perceive").ETD audience (n.).2
The meaning "formal hearing or reception, opportunity of being heard" also is from late 14c.; that of "persons within hearing range, assembly of listeners" is from early 15c. (a member of one might be an audient, 1610s). French audience retains only the older senses. The English sense was transferred by 1855 to "readers of a book," by 1946 to "viewers of television programs." Audience-participation (adj.) is recorded by 1938 in reference to radio.ETD audience (n.).3
"sound," especially recorded or transmitted sound signals, 1934, abstracted from word-forming element audio- (q.v.), which is from Latin audire "to hear" (from PIE root *au- "to perceive").ETD audio (n.).2
word-forming element meaning "sound, hearing," from combining form of Latin audire "to hear" (from PIE root *au- "to perceive"); used in English word formation by 1890s.ETD audio-.2
"science of hearing and treatment of deafness," 1946, from audio- + -ology. Related: Audiologist.ETD audiology (n.).2
"enthusiast of high-quality sound reproduction," 1951, originally in "High Fidelity" magazine, from audio- + -phile.ETD audiophile (n.).2
"magnetic tape on which sound may be recorded," 1957, from audio- + tape (n.). As a verb by 1974. Related: Audio-taped.ETD audiotape (n.).2
also audio-visual, "pertaining to or involving both sound and sight," 1937, from audio- + visual.ETD audiovisual (adj.).2
1935 (transitive) "give (an applicant for a performance part) a trial or test," from audition (n.). The intransitive sense "try out for a performance part" is by 1938. Related: Auditioned; auditioning.ETD audition (v.).2
1590s, "power of hearing;" 1650s, "act of hearing, a listening," from French audicion "hearing (in a court of law)" and directly from Latin auditionem (nominative auditio) "a hearing, listening to," noun of action from past-participle stem of audire "to hear" (from PIE root *au- "to perceive"). The meaning "trial for a performer" is recorded by 1881.ETD audition (n.).2
early 15c., "official examination of accounts," from Latin auditus "a hearing, a listening," past participle of audire "to hear" (from PIE root *au- "to perceive"). Official examination of accounts originally was an oral procedure. The word also formerly was used in a sense of "official audience, judicial hearing or examination" (1590s).ETD audit (n.).2
mid-15c., "examine and verify (accounts)," from audit (n.). Meaning "attend (a course, etc.) without intending to earn credit by doing course-work" is from 1933. Related: Audited; auditing.ETD audit (v.).2
early 14c., "official who receives and examines accounts;" late 14c., "a hearer, one who listens," from Anglo-French auditour (Old French oieor "listener, court clerk," 13c.; Modern French auditeur), from Latin auditor "a hearer, a pupil, scholar, disciple," in Medieval Latin "a judge, examiner of accounts," from auditus, past participle of audire "to hear" (from PIE root *au- "to perceive"). The process of receiving and examining accounts formerly was done, and vouched for, orally. Related: Auditorial.ETD auditor (n.).2
"pertaining to hearing," 1570s, from Latin auditorius "pertaining to hearing," from auditor "hearer," from audire "to hear" (from PIE root *au- "to perceive"). The word was used from Middle English as a noun, "assembly of hearers, audience" (late 14c.), from Latin auditorium.ETD auditory (adj.).2
"part of a public building where people gather to hear speeches, etc.," 1727, from Latin auditorium "a lecture-room," literally "place where something is heard," in Medieval Latin especially "a reception room in a monastery," noun use of neuter of auditorius (adj.) "of or for hearing," from auditus, past participle of audire "to hear" (from PIE root *au- "to perceive"); also see -ory. Earlier in English in the same sense was auditory (late 14c.), and Latin auditorium was glossed in Old English by spræchus ("speech-house").ETD auditorium (n.).2
fem. proper name, 13c., from earlier Aldreda (11c.), contracted from Etheldreda, a Latinized form of Old English Æðelðryð, literally "noble might," from æðele "noble" (see atheling) + ðryð "strength, might," from Proto-Germanic *thruthitho- "strength" (source also of Old Norse Þruðr, name of the daughter of Thor). Popularized by the reputation of Saint Etheldreda, queen of Northumbria and foundress of the convent at Ely.ETD Audrey.2
with reference to birds or pictures of them, from U.S. naturalist John James Audubon (1785-1851), who published "The Birds of America" 1827-38.ETD Audubon.2
1743, French, "to the point, to the matter under discussion," literally "to the fact," from au "to the" (see au) + fait "fact" (see feat). Used in French with sense of "acquainted with the facts, expert, fully skilled."ETD au fait (adj.).2
"the Enlightenment," 1801, from German Aufklärung (18c.), literally "enlightenment," from aufklären "to enlighten" (17c.), from auf "up" (from PIE root *upo "under," also "up from under") + klären "to clear," from Latin clarus (see clear (adj.)).ETD Aufklarung (n.).2
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to increase." It forms all or part of: auction; augment; augmentative; augur; August; august; Augustus; author; authoritarian; authorize; auxiliary; auxin; eke (v.); inaugurate; nickname; waist; wax (v.1) "grow bigger or greater."ETD *aug- (1).2
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit ojas- "strength," vaksayati "cause to grow;" Lithuanian augu, augti "to grow," aukštas "high, of superior rank;" Greek auxo "increase," auxein "to increase;" Gothic aukan "to grow, increase;" Latin augmentum "an increase, growth," augere "to increase, make big, enlarge, enrich;" Old English eacien "to increase," German wachsen, Gothic wahsjan "to grow, increase."ETD *aug- (1).3
"very filthy," 1590s, in reference to Augean stable, the cleansing of which was one of the labors of Hercules, from Greek Augeias, from Augeas, king of Elis, whose proverbially filthy stable contained 3,000 oxen and had gone uncleansed for 30 years. Hercules purified it in one day by turning the river Alpheus through it. The name probably is from auge "splendor, sunlight."ETD Augean (adj.).2
"instrument for boring larger holes," c. 1500, a faulty separation of Middle English a nauger, from Old English nafogar "nave (of a wheel) drill," from Proto-Germanic *nabo-gaizaz (source also of Old Norse nafarr, Old Saxon nabuger, Old High German nabuger), a compound whose first element is related to nave (n.2) and whose second is identical to Old English gar "a spear, borer" (see gar). For similar misdivisions, see adder. The same change took place in Dutch (avegaar, egger).ETD auger (n.).2
"something, anything," late 12c., from Old English awiht "aught, anything, something," literally "e'er a whit," from a- "ever" (from Proto-Germanic *aiwi- "ever," extended form of PIE root *aiw- "vital force, life; long life, eternity") + *wihti "thing, anything whatever" (see wight). In Shakespeare, Milton, and Pope, aught and ought occur indiscriminately. Chaucer used aughtwhere (adv.) "anywhere."ETD aught (n.1).2
"nothing, zero," faulty separation of a naught (see naught). See adder for similar misdivisions.ETD aught (n.2).2
late 14c., "become more severe;" c. 1400, "to make larger; become larger," from Old French augmenter "increase, enhance" (14c.), from Late Latin augmentare "to increase," from Latin augmentum "an increase, growth," from augere "to increase, make big, enlarge, enrich" (from PIE root *aug- (1) "to increase"). Related: Augmented; augmenting. As a noun from early 15c.ETD augment (v.).2
mid-15c., "act of making greater," from Old French augmentacion "increase," from Late Latin augmentationem (nominative augmentatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of augmentare "to increase" (see augment). The meaning "amount by which something is increased" is from 1520s. The musical sense is from 1590s, in fugues (compare augmented).ETD augmentation (n.).2
"having power or quality of augmenting," c. 1500, from Old French augmentatif (14c.), from Late Latin augmentat-, stem of augmentare "to increase" (see augment). In grammar, "expressing augmentation or increase in the force of the idea conveyed," from 1640s. It is applied both to words and to affixes; also as a noun in grammar, "word formed to express increased intensity of the idea conveyed by it, or an affix which serves this purpose."ETD augmentative (adj.).2
c. 1600, "increased," past-participle adjective from augment. The musical sense of "greater by a semitone than a perfect or major interval" (opposite of diminished) is attested by 1825.ETD augmented (adj.).2
c. 1600, "predict, prognosticate," from augur (n.). From 1826 as "betoken, forebode." Related: Augured; auguring.ETD augur (v.).2
"ancient Romans functionary whose duty was to observe and interpret auspices, or reputed natural signs concerning future events," 1540s, from Latin augur, a religious official in ancient Rome, perhaps (de Vaan) originally meaning "an increase in crops enacted in ritual," in which case it probably is from Old Latin *augos (genitive *augeris) "increase," and is related to augere "increase" (from PIE root *aug- (1) "to increase").ETD augur (n.).2
The more popular theory is that it is from Latin avis "bird," because the flights, singing, and feeding of birds were important objects of divination (compare auspex). In that case, the second element would be from garrire "to talk." Related: Augural; augurial.ETD augur (n.).3
late 14c., "divination from the flight of birds," from Old French augure, augurie "divination, soothsaying, sorcery, enchantment," or directly from Latin augurium "divination, the observation and interpretation of omens" (see augur (n.)). The sense of "omen, portent, indication, that which forebodes" is from 1610s. Often in plural, auguries.ETD augury (n.).2
"inspiring reverence and admiration, solemnly grand," 1660s, from Latin augustus "venerable, majestic, magnificent, noble," perhaps originally "consecrated by the augurs, with favorable auguries" (see augur (n.)); or else [de Vaan] "that which is increased" (see augment).ETD august (adj.).2
eighth month, late 11c., from Latin Augustus (mensis), sixth month of the later Roman calendar, renamed from Sextilis (literally "sixth") in 8 B.C.E. to honor emperor Augustus Caesar, literally "Venerable Caesar" (see august (adj.), and compare Augustus). One of two months given new names to honor Roman leaders (July being the other), the Romans also gave new imperial names to September (Germanicus) and October (Domitian) but these did not stick.ETD August.2
In England, the name replaced native Weodmonað "weed month." Traditionally the first month of autumn in Great Britain, the last of summer in the U.S.ETD August.3
fem. proper name, Latin fem. of Augustus (q.v.).ETD Augusta.2
1640s, from Latin Augustanus, "pertaining to Augustus (Caesar)," whose reign (31 B.C.E.-14 C.E.) was connected with "the palmy period of Latin literature" [OED]; hence, "period of purity and refinement in any national literature" (1712); in French, the reign of Louis XIV; in English, that of Queen Anne.ETD Augustan (adj.).2
c. 1400 in reference to members of the religious order named for St. Augustine the Great (354-430), bishop of Hippo. The name is Latin Augustinus, from augustus "venerable, majestic, magnificent, noble" (see august (adj.)) + name-forming element -inus (see -ine (1)). Related: Augustinian.ETD Augustine (adj.).2
masc. proper name, from Latin augustus "venerable" (see august (adj.)). The name originally was a cognomen applied to Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus as emperor, with a sense something like "his majesty."ETD Augustus.2
type of large, colonial diving bird, 1670s, a Northern England name, from a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse alka, probably originally imitative of a water-bird cry (compare Latin olor "swan," Greek elea "marsh bird"). Originally and properly the great auk, which once abounded on North Atlantic coasts; hunted for food, bait, and its down, the species became extinct c. 1850.ETD auk (n.).2
variant of old that more accurately preserves the Anglo-Saxon vowel. Surviving in northern English and Scottish; after late 14c. it was distinctly Scottish. A child wise or canny beyond its years was auld-farrand; Auld wives' tongues was a name for the aspen, because its leaves "seldom cease wagging."ETD auld (adj.).2
1817, "uncooked," French, literally "naturally, in the natural state." Originally in English a term in French recipes, it was used euphemistically in English for "undressed" by 1860, perhaps via its use in French in the visual arts. See au + natural (adj.).ETD au naturel (adj.).2