tour (n.) — trammel (v.)
c. 1300, "a turn, a shift on duty," from Old French tor, tourn, tourn "a turn, trick, round, circuit, circumference," from torner, tourner "to turn" (see turn (v.)). Sense of "a continued ramble or excursion" is from 1640s. Tour de France as a bicycle race is recorded in English from 1916 (Tour de France Cycliste), distinguished from a motorcar race of the same name. The Grand Tour, a journey through France, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy formerly was the finishing touch in the education of a gentleman.ETD tour (n.).2
"feat of strength," 1802, French; see tour (n.) + force (n.).ETD tour de force (n.).2
1811, from tour (n.) + -ism.ETD tourism (n.).2
1772, "one who makes a journey for pleasure, stopping here and there" (originally especially a travel-writer), from tour (n.) + -ist. Tourist trap attested from 1939, in Graham Greene. Related: Touristic.ETD tourist (n.).2
complete silicate of aluminum and boron, 1759, from French or German, ultimately from Sinhalese toramalli, a general name for cornelian.ETD tourmaline (n.).2
"medieval martial arts contest," c. 1200 (figurative), c. 1300 (literal), from Old French tornement "contest between groups of knights on horseback" (12c.), from tornoier "to joust, tilt, take part in tournaments" (see tourney). Modern use, in reference to games of skill, is recorded from 1761.ETD tournament (n.).2
fillet of steak dish, 1877, from French, from tourner "to turn" (see turn (v.)) + dos "back." According to French etymologists, "so called because the dish is traditionally not placed on the table but is passed behind the backs of the guests" [OED]. But there are other theories.ETD tournedos (n.).2
c. 1300, from Anglo-French turneier, Old French tornoier "to joust, tilt," literally "turn around," from Vulgar Latin *tornizare, from Latin tornare "to turn" (see turn (v.)). Related: Tourneying.ETD tourney (v.).2
c. 1300, from Anglo-French turnei, Old French tornei "contest of armed men" (12c., Modern French tournoi), from tornoier "to joust, tilt" (see tourney (v.)).ETD tourney (n.).2
1690s, from French tourniquet "surgical tourniquet," also "turnstile" (16c.), diminutive of torner "to turn," from Old French torner (see turn (v.)).ETD tourniquet (n.).2
"pull roughly, disorder, dishevel," mid-15c., frequentative of -tousen "handle or push about roughly," probably from an unrecorded Old English *tusian, from Proto-Germanic *tus- (source also of Frisian tusen, Old High German erzusen, German zausen "to tug, pull, dishevel"); related to tease (v.). Related: Tousled; tousling.ETD tousle (v.).2
French, literally "feast of All Saints" (Nov. 1), from tous, plural of tout "all" + saint "saint."ETD Toussaint (n.).2
1700, thieves' cant, "to act as a lookout, spy on," from Middle English tuten "to peep, peer," probably from a variant of Old English totian "to stick out, peep, peer," from Proto-Germanic *tut- "project" (source also of Dutch tuit "sprout, snout," Middle Dutch tute "nipple, pap," Middle Low German tute "horn, funnel," Old Norse tota "teat, toe of a shoe"). The sense developed to "look out for jobs, votes, customers, etc., to try to get them" (1731), then "praise highly in an attempt to sell" (1920). Related: Touted; touting.ETD tout (v.).2
"pull with a rope," Old English togian "to drag, pull," from Proto-Germanic *tugojanan (source also of Old English teon "to draw," Old Frisian togia "to pull about," Old Norse toga, Old High German zogon, German ziehen "to draw, pull, drag"), from PIE root *deuk- "to lead" (source also of Latin ducere "to lead"). Related: Towed; towing.ETD tow (v.).2
"the coarse, broken fibers of flax, hemp, etc., separated from the finer parts," late 14c., probably from Old English tow- "spinning" (in towlic "fit for spinning," tow-hus "spinning-room"), perhaps cognate with Gothic taujan "to do, make," Middle Dutch touwen "to knit, weave," from Proto-Germanic *taw- "to manufacture" (see taw (v.)).ETD tow (n.1).2
c. 1600, "rope used in towing," from tow (v.). Meaning "act or fact of being towed" is from 1620s.ETD tow (n.2).2
Old English toweards, from toweard (adj.) "coming, facing, approaching" (see toward) + adverbial genitive ending.ETD towards (adv.).2
Old English toweard "in the direction of," prepositional use of toweard (adj.) "coming, facing, approaching," from to (see to) + -ward.ETD toward (prep.).2
also tow-away, 1956 in reference to parking zones, from verbal phrase, from tow (v.) + away (adv.).ETD towaway (adj.).2
1836 (transitive); 1861 (intransitive), from towel (n.). Related: Towelled; towelling.ETD towel (v.).2
mid-13c., from Old French toaille (12c.), from Frankish *thwahlja, from Proto-Germanic *thwahlijan (source also of Old Saxon thwahila, Middle Dutch dwale "towel," Dutch dwaal "altar cloth," Old High German dwehila "towel," German dialectal Zwehle "napkin"); related to German zwagen, Old English þwean "to wash." Spanish toalla, Italian tovaglia are Germanic loan-words. To throw in the towel "admit defeat" (1915) is from boxing.ETD towel (n.).2
1896, originally a trade name, from towel (n.) + -ette.ETD towelette (n.).2
"one who tows," 1610s, agent noun from tow (v.).ETD tower (n.2).2
Old English torr "tower, watchtower," from Latin turris "a tower, citadel, high structure" (also source of Old French tor, 11c., Modern French tour; Spanish, Italian torre "tower"), possibly from a pre-Indo-European Mediterranean language. Meaning "lofty pile or mass" is recorded from mid-14c. Also borrowed separately 13c. as tour, from Old French tur; the modern spelling (1520s) represents a merger of the two forms.ETD tower (n.1).2
c. 1400, "rise high" (implied in towered); see tower (n.). Also, of hawks, "to fly high so as to swoop down on prey" (1590s). Related: Towering.ETD tower (v.).2
marsh-robin, 1730, so called for the note of its cry.ETD towhee (n.).2
also tow-head, in reference to tousled blond hair, 1830, from tow (n.1) + head (n.). Related: Towheaded.ETD towhead (n.).2
Old English tun "enclosure, garden, field, yard; farm, manor; homestead, dwelling house, mansion;" later "group of houses, village, farm," from Proto-Germanic *tunaz, *tunan "fortified place" (source also of Old Saxon, Old Norse, Old Frisian tun "fence, hedge," Middle Dutch tuun "fence," Dutch tuin "garden," Old High German zun, German Zaun "fence, hedge"), an early borrowing from Celtic *dunon "hill, hill-fort" (source also of Old Irish dun, Welsh din "fortress, fortified place, camp," dinas "city," Gaulish-Latin -dunum in place names), from PIE *dhu-no- "enclosed, fortified place, hill-fort," from root *dheue- "to close, finish, come full circle" (see down (n.2)).ETD town (n.).2
Meaning "inhabited place larger than a village" (mid-12c.) arose after the Norman conquest from the use of this word to correspond to French ville. The modern word is partially a generic term, applicable to cities of great size as well as places intermediate between a city and a village; such use is unusual, the only parallel is perhaps Latin oppidium, which occasionally was applied even to Rome or Athens (each of which was more properly an urbs).ETD town (n.).3
First record of town hall is from late 15c. Town ball, version of baseball, is recorded from 1852. Town car (1907) originally was a motor car with an enclosed passenger compartment and open driver's seat. On the town "living the high life" is from 1712. Go to town "do (something) energetically" is first recorded 1933. Man about town "one constantly seen at public and private functions" is attested from 1734.ETD town (n.).4
1825, "a residence in a town," from town + house (n.) from a time when well-off families had country houses as well. As a type of suburban attached housing, c. 1968, American English.ETD townhouse (n.).2
also townee "townsman, one raised in a town," 1827, often opposed to the university students or circus workers who were just passing through, from town + -ie.ETD townie (n.).2
Old English tunscipe "inhabitants or population of a town;" see town + -ship. Applied in Middle English to "manor, parish, or other division of a hundred." Specific sense of "local division or district in a parish, each with a village or small town and its own church" is from 1530s; as a local municipal division of a county in U.S. and Canada, first recorded 1685. In South Africa, "area set aside for non-whites" from 1934.ETD township (n.).2
1640s, from genitive of town + people.ETD townspeople (n.).2
by 1917, from tow (v.) + truck (n.).ETD tow-truck (n.).2
"blood-poisoning," also toxaemia, 1848, from toxo- (before vowels tox-, from Greek toxon; see toxic) + -emia (from Greek haima "blood").ETD toxemia (n.).2
"state of being toxic," 1880, from toxic + -ity.ETD toxicity (n.).2
1660s, from French toxique and directly from Late Latin toxicus "poisoned," from Latin toxicum "poison," from Greek toxikon (pharmakon) "(poison) for use on arrows," from toxikon, neuter of toxikos "pertaining to arrows or archery," and thus to a bow, from toxon "bow," which has been regarded as a loan-word from Scythian. Watkins suggests a possible source in Iranian taxša- "bow," from PIE *tekw- "to run, flee." Beekes, pointing to the early attestation of the Greek word, suggests a Pre-Greek origin.ETD toxic (adj.).2
As a noun from 1890. Toxic waste is by 1888 in medicine, "toxin;" by 1955 as "chemical or radioactive waste."ETD toxic (adj.).3
1815, from French toxicologie (1812), from Latinized form of Greek toxikon "arrow poison" (see toxic) + -logia (see -logy). Related: Toxicological; toxicologist.ETD toxicology (n.).2
"organic poison," especially one produced by bacteria in an animal body, 1886, from toxic + -in (2).ETD toxin (n.).2
disease caused by infection of the common protozoan eukaryote Toxoplasma gondii (found in cat feces, contaminated food, etc.), by 1951, with -osis + toxoplasma (1913), coined 1909 in French from Greek toxon "bow, arch," in reference to the organism's lunate shape (see toxic), + plasma (see plasma).ETD toxoplasmosis (n.).2
also toybox, 1819, from toy (n.) + box (n.).ETD toy-box (n.).2
Japanese automaker, begun 1930s as a division of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, named for the family name of the founder. There seems to be no one accepted explanation for the change from -d- to -t-.ETD Toyota.2
"straps or chains by which an animal pulls a vehicle," c. 1300, from earlier collective plural trays, from Old French traiz, plural of trait "strap for harnessing, act of drawing," from Latin tractus "a drawing, track," from stem of trahere "to pull, draw" (see tract (n.1)). Related: Traces.ETD trace (n.2).2
"track made by passage of a person or thing," c. 1300, from Old French trace "mark, imprint, tracks" (12c.), back-formation from tracier (see trace (v.)). Scientific sense of "indication of minute presence in some chemical compound" is from 1827. Traces "vestiges" is from c. 1400.ETD trace (n.1).2
late 14c., "follow (a course); draw a line, make an outline of something," also figurative; "ponder, investigate," from Old French tracier "look for, follow, pursue" (12c., Modern French tracer), from Vulgar Latin *tractiare "delineate, score, trace" (source also of Spanish trazar "to trace, devise, plan out," Italian tracciare "to follow by foot"), a frequentative form from Latin tractus "track, course," literally "a drawing out," from past participle stem of trahere "to pull, draw" (see tract (n.1)).ETD trace (v.).2
Meaning "move along, pass over" (a path, etc.) is attested from c. 1400; that of "track down, follow the trail of" is early 15c. Meaning "copy a drawing on a transparent sheet laid over it" is recorded from 1762. Related: Traced; tracing.ETD trace (v.).3
1748, from trace (v.) + -able. Related: Traceability.ETD traceable (adj.).2
c. 1500, "one who tracks or searches," agent noun from verb form of trace (n.1). Meaning "bullet whose course is made visible" is from 1910.ETD tracer (n.).2
mid-15c., "a place for drawing," formed in English from trace (v.) + -ery. Architectural sense, in reference to intersecting rib work in the upper part of a gothic window, is attested from 1660s. "Introduced by Wren, who described it as a masons' term" [Weekley].ETD tracery (n.).2
late 14c., from Medieval Latin trachea (13c.), as in trachea arteria, from Late Latin trachia, from Greek trakheia, in trakheia arteria "windpipe," literally "rough artery" (so called from the rings of cartilage that form the trachea), from fem. of trakhys "rough," from PIE *dhre-gh-, suffixed form of root *dher- (1). See artery for connection with windpipe in Greek science. Related: Tracheal.ETD trachea (n.).2
1726, from tracheo-, used as a combining form of trachea + -ostomy "artificial opening," from Modern Latin stoma "opening, orifice," from Greek stoma "mouth" (see stoma).ETD tracheostomy (n.).2
1726, Modern Latin, coined 1718 by German surgeon Lorenz Heister (1683-1758); see trachea + -tomy.ETD tracheotomy (n.).2
disease of the eyes, 1690s, from Modern Latin trachoma, from Greek trakhoma "roughness," from trakhys "rough."ETD trachoma (n.).2
"to follow or trace the footsteps of," 1560s, from track (n.). Meaning "leave a footprint trail in dirt, mud, etc." is from 1838. Of film and TV cameras, 1959. Related: Tracked; tracking.ETD track (v.).2
late 15c., "footprint, mark left by anything," from Old French trac "track of horses, trace" (mid-15c.), possibly from a Germanic source (compare Middle Low German treck, Dutch trek "drawing, pulling;" see trek). Meaning "lines of rails for drawing trains" is from 1805. Meaning "branch of athletics involving a running track" is recorded from 1905. Meaning "single recorded item" is from 1904, originally in reference to phonograph records. Meaning "mark on skin from repeated drug injection" is first attested 1964.ETD track (n.).2
Track record (1955) is a figurative use from racing, "performance history" of an individual car, runner, horse, etc. (1907, but the phrase was more common in sense "fastest speed recorded at a particular track"). To make tracks "move quickly" is American English colloquial first recorded 1835; to cover (one's) tracks in the figurative sense first attested 1898; to keep track of something is attested from 1883. American English wrong side of the tracks "bad part of town" is by 1901. Track lighting attested from 1970.ETD track (n.).3
1610s, agent noun from track (v.).ETD tracker (n.).2
"pathless, untrodden," 1650s, from track (n.) + -less.ETD trackless (adj.).2
"little book, treatise" mid-12c., probably a shortened form of Latin tractatus "a handling, treatise, treatment," from tractare "to handle" (see treat (v.)). Related: Tractarian.ETD tract (n.2).2
[area] mid-15c., in phrase tract of time "period or lapse of time," from Latin tractus "track, course, space, duration," literally "a drawing out or pulling," from stem of trahere "to pull, draw." This is said to be from a PIE root *tragh- "to draw, drag, move," source also of Slovenian trag "trace, track," Middle Irish tragud "ebb;" perhaps with a variant form *dhragh-; see drag (v.)).ETD tract (n.1).2
The meaning "stretch of land or water" is recorded by 1550s. Specific U.S. sense of "plot of land for development" is recorded from 1912; tract housing is attested from 1953.ETD tract (n.1).3
"manageable," early 15c., from Latin tractabilis "that may be touched or handled, workable, tangible, manageable," figuratively, "pliant," from tractare "to handle, manage" (see treat (v.)). Related: Tractability.ETD tractable (adj.).2
early 15c., "a drawing or pulling" (originally the pulling of a dislocated limb to reposition it), from Medieval Latin tractionem (nominative tractio) "a drawing" (mid-13c.), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin trahere "to pull, draw" (see tract (n.1)). Sense of "friction between a wheel and the surface it moves upon" first appears 1825. In modern medical care, "a sustained pull to a part of the body to hold fractured bones in position," 1885.ETD traction (n.).2
1856, "something that pulls," from Modern Latin tractor "that which draws," agent noun from past participle stem of Latin trahere "to pull, draw" (see tract (n.1)). Earlier used of a quack device consisting of two metal rods which were supposed to relieve rheumatism (1798, in full Perkins's metallic tractor); still the main sense in Century Dictionary (1891).ETD tractor (n.).2
Sense of "an engine or vehicle for pulling wagons or plows" is recorded by 1896, from earlier traction engine (1859). The meaning "powerful truck for pulling a freight trailer" is first found 1926; tractor-trailer as "combined motor-truck and trailer" is from 1914.ETD tractor (n.).3
1956, slang shortening of traditional jazz. Its general slang use for "traditional" is recorded from 1963.ETD trad (adj.).2
late 14c., "path, track, course of action," introduced by the Hanse merchants, from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German trade "track, course" (probably originally of a ship), cognate with Old English tredan (see tread (v.)).ETD trade (n.).2
Sense of "one's habitual business" (1540s) developed from the notion of "way, course, manner of life" (mid-15c.); sense of "buying and selling, exchange of commodities" is from 1550s. Meaning "act of trading" is from 1829. Trade-name is from 1821; trade-route is from 1873; trade-war is from 1899. Trade union is attested from 1831. Trade wind (1640s) has nothing to do with commerce, but preserves the obsolete sense of "in a habitual or regular course."ETD trade (n.).3
1540s, "to tread a path," from trade (n.). Meaning "to occupy oneself (in something)" is recorded from c. 1600. Meaning "to barter" is by 1793. The U.S. sports team sense of "to exchange one player for another" is attested from 1899. Related: Traded; trading. To trade down is attested from 1942; trade up from 1959. Trade places "exchange situations" is from 1917. Trading post is recorded from 1796. Trading stamp, given by merchants and exchangeable for goods, is from 1897.ETD trade (v.).2
1917, in reference to used cars, from verbal phrase, from trade (v.) + in (adv.).ETD trade-in (n.).2
also trade-mark, 1838 (the thing itself is attested continuously from 14c., apparently the originals were watermarks on paper), from trade (n.) + mark (n.1) in a specialized sense of "stamp, seal, brand, etc. placed upon an article top indicate ownership or origin" (mid-13c.).ETD trademark (n.).2
Figurative use by 1869. As a verb, from 1899 (trade-marked). Related: Trademarked; trademarking. This sense of mark also yielded the meaning "particular brand or make of an article" (1660s), hence its use in 20c. names of cars, etc., Mark I, Mark II, etc.ETD trademark (n.).3
also tradeoff, "sacrifice of one benefit for another," 1959, from verbal phrase to trade off; see trade (v.) + off (adv.).ETD trade-off (n.).2
"dealer, trafficker, one engaged in commerce," 1580s, agent noun from trade (v.).ETD trader (n.).2
1590s, from genitive of trade (n.) + man (n.).ETD tradesman (n.).2
late 14c., "statement, belief, or practice handed down from generation to generation," especially "belief or practice based on Mosaic law," from Old French tradicion "transmission, presentation, handing over" (late 13c.) and directly from Latin traditionem (nominative traditio) "a delivering up, surrender, a handing down, a giving up" (also "a teaching, instruction," and "a saying handed down from former times"). This is a noun of action from past-participle stem of tradere "deliver, hand over," from trans- "over" (see trans-) + dare "to give" (from PIE root *do- "to give"). The word is a doublet of treason (q.v.). Meaning "a long-established custom" is from 1590s. The notion is of customs, ways, beliefs, doctrines, etc. "handed down" from one generation to the next.ETD tradition (n.).2
1590s, "observing traditions;" c. 1600, "handed down as tradition," from tradition + -al (1). In reference to jazz, from 1950. Related: Traditionally; traditionalist.ETD traditional (adj.).2
1530s, "alter, change over, transport," from Latin traducere "change over, convert," also "lead in parade, make a show of, dishonor, disgrace," originally "lead along or across, bring through, transfer" (source also of French traduire, Spanish traducir, Italian tradurre), from trans "across, beyond" (see trans-) + ducere "to lead" (from PIE root *deuk- "to lead"). Sense of "defame, slander" in English is from 1580s, from Latin traducere in the sense of "scorn or disgrace," a figurative use from the notion of "to lead along as a spectacle." Related: Traduced; traducing.ETD traduce (v.).2
1610s, agent noun from traduce (v.).ETD traducer (n.).2
cape in southwestern Spain, from Arabic taraf-al-garb "end of the west," or taraf-agarr "end of the column" (in reference to the pillars of Hercules). The British naval victory over the French there was fought Oct. 21, 1805; hence London's Trafalgar Square, named in commemoration of it.ETD Trafalgar.2
1540s, "to buy and sell," from traffic (n.) and preserving the original commercial sense. Related: Trafficked; trafficking; trafficker. The -k- is inserted to preserve the "k" sound of -c- before a suffix beginning in -i-, -y-, or -e- (compare picnic/picnicking, panic/panicky, shellac/shellacked).ETD traffic (v.).2
c. 1500, "trade, commerce," from French trafique (15c.), from Italian traffico (14c.), from trafficare "carry on trade," of uncertain origin, perhaps from a Vulgar Latin *transfricare "to rub across," from Latin trans "across" (see trans-) + fricare "to rub" (see friction), with the original sense of the Italian verb being "touch repeatedly, handle."ETD traffic (n.).2
Or the second element may be an unexplained alteration of Latin facere "to make, do." Klein suggests ultimate derivation of the Italian word from Arabic tafriq "distribution." Meaning "people and vehicles coming and going" first recorded 1825. Traffic jam is by 1908, ousting earlier traffic block (1895). Traffic circle is from 1938.ETD traffic (n.).3
late 14c., "play or other serious literary work with an unhappy ending," from Old French tragedie (14c.), from Latin tragedia "a tragedy," from Greek tragodia "a dramatic poem or play in formal language and having an unhappy resolution," apparently literally "goat song," from tragos "goat, buck" + ōidē "song" (see ode), probably on model of rhapsodos (see rhapsody).ETD tragedy (n.).2
The connection may be via satyric drama, from which tragedy later developed, in which actors or singers were dressed in goatskins to represent satyrs. But many other theories have been made (including "singer who competes for a goat as a prize"), and even the "goat" connection is at times questioned. Meaning "any unhappy event, disaster" is from c. 1500.ETD tragedy (n.).3
"writer of tragedies," late 14c., from Old French tragediane (Modern French tragédien), from tragedie (see tragedy). Another word for this was tragician (mid-15c.). Meaning "actor in tragedies" is from 1590s. French-based fem. form tragedienne is from 1851. In late classical Greek, tragodos was the actor, tragodopoios the writer.ETD tragedian (n.).2
1540s, "calamitous, disastrous, fatal" ("resembling the actions in a stage tragedy"), shortened from tragical (late 15c.), modeled on Latin tragicus, from Greek tragikos "of or pertaining to tragedy; stately, majestic; plaintive," literally "goatish, of or pertaining to a goat," and perhaps referring to a satyr impersonated by a goat singer or satyric actor, from tragodia (see tragedy). Tragic flaw (1913) translates Greek hamartia. Related: Tragically.ETD tragic (adj.).2
"both serious and tragic," 1680s; see tragi-comedy + -ic. Related: Tragi-comical (1560s).ETD tragi-comic (adj.).2
also tragicomedy, "characterized by both serious and comic scenes," 1570s, from French tragicomédie (1540s), from Italian tragicommedia, from Late Latin tragicomoedia, contraction of tragicocomoedia (Plautus), from tragicus (see tragic) + comoedia (see comedy).ETD tragi-comedy (n.).2
"eminence at the opening of the ear," 1690s, Modern Latin, from Greek tragos in this sense (Rufus of Ephesus), properly "he-goat;" so called for the tuft of hair which grows there, which resembles a goat's beard.ETD tragus (n.).2
Old English treg, trig "flat wooden board with a low rim," from Proto-Germanic *traujam (source also of Old Swedish tro, a corn measure), from PIE *drou-, variant of root *deru- "be firm, solid, steadfast," with specialized senses "wood, tree" and derivatives referring to objects made of wood. The primary sense may have been "wooden vessel."ETD tray (n.).2
c. 1300, "to hang down loosely and flow behind" (of a gown, sleeve, etc.), from Old French trailler "to tow; pick up the scent of a quarry," ultimately from Vulgar Latin *tragulare "to drag," from Latin tragula "dragnet, javelin thrown by a strap," probably related to trahere "to pull" (see tract (n.1)). Transitive sense of "to tow or pull along the ground" is from c. 1400. The meaning "follow the trail of" (an animal, etc.) is first recorded late 14c. Meaning "to lag behind" is from 1957. Related: Trailed; trailing.ETD trail (v.).2
early 14c., "trailing part of a robe, gown, etc.," from trail (v.). The meaning "track or smell left by a person or animal" is also from 1580s. Meaning "path or track worn in wilderness" is attested from 1807. Trail of Tears in reference to the U.S. government's brutally incompetent Cherokee removal of 1838-9 is attested by 1908.ETD trail (n.).2
by 1893, from trail (n.) + agent noun from blaze (v.3).ETD trailblazer (n.).2
1580s, "hound or huntsman that follows a trail," agent noun from trail (v.). From 1610s as "something that trails." By 1890 as "vehicle pulled by another;" originally a small carriage drawn along by a bicycle.ETD trailer (n.).2
The meaning "advertisement run alongside a motion picture" is attested by 1916; trailer as "length of blank film at the end of a reel" is by 1913. Trailer park "mobile home community" recorded by 1936. Derogatory trailer trash is in use by 1986.ETD trailer (n.).3
early 14c., "a drawing out, delay;" late 14c., "trailing part of a skirt, gown, or cloak;" also "retinue, procession," from Old French train "tracks, path, trail (of a robe or gown); act of dragging," from trainer "to pull, drag, draw," from Vulgar Latin *traginare, extended from *tragere "to pull," back-formation from tractus, past participle of Latin trahere "to pull, draw" (see tract (n.1)).,ETD train (n.).2
General sense of "series, progression, succession, continuous course" is from late 15c.; train of thought is attested from 1650s. The railroad sense "locomotive and the cars coupled to it" is recorded from 1820 (publication year, dated 1816), from the notion of a "trailing succession" of wagons or carriages pulled by a mechanical engine.ETD train (n.).3
mid-15c., "protraction, delay," verbal noun from train (v.). From 1540s as "discipline and instruction to develop powers or skills;" 1786 as "exercise to improve bodily vigor." Training wheels as an attachment to a bicycle is from 1953.ETD training (n.).2
"to discipline, teach, bring to a desired state by means of instruction," 1540s, probably from earlier sense of "draw out and manipulate in order to bring to a desired form" (late 14c.), specifically of the growth of branches, vines, etc. from mid-15c.; from train (n.). Sense of "point or aim" (a firearm, etc.) is from 1841. Sense of "fit oneself for a performance by a regimen or exercise" is from 1832. The meaning "to travel by railway" is recorded from 1856. Related: Trained; training.ETD train (v.).2
1540s, from train (v.) + -able.ETD trainable (adj.).2
1841, from train (v.) in the "instruct" sense + -ee.ETD trainee (n.).2
c. 1600, "one who educates or instructs," agent noun from train (v.). Meaning "one who prepares another for feats requiring physical fitness" is from 1823, originally of horse-trainers.ETD trainer (n.).2
1959 (train spotter attested from 1958), chiefly British English, in reference to the hobby of recording the numbers of railway locomotives one has observed; from train (n.) in the railroad sense + verbal noun from spot (v.).ETD train-spotting (n.).2
1590s, of uncertain origin, perhaps from dialectal French trepasser "pass over or beyond," from Old French trespasser "cross, traverse, transgress" (see trespass). Or from a source related to Middle Dutch trappen, dialectal Norwegian trappa "to tread, stamp" (see trap (n.)). Liberman points out that it resembles German traben "tramp" "and other similar verbs meaning 'tramp; wander; flee' in several European languages. They seem to have been part of soldiers' and vagabonds' slang between 1400 and 1700. In all likelihood, they originated as onomatopoeias and spread to neighboring languages from Low German." Related: Traipsed; traipsing.ETD traipse (v.).2
late 15c., "shot, missiles;" later "a stroke in drawing, a short line" (1580s), from French trait "line, stroke, feature, tract," from Latin tractus "drawing, drawing out, dragging, pulling," later "line drawn, feature," from past participle stem of trahere "to pull, draw" (see tract (n.1)). Sense of "particular feature, distinguishing quality" in English is first recorded 1752.ETD trait (n.).2
c. 1200, "one who betrays a trust or duty," from Old French traitor, traitre "traitor, villain, deceiver" (11c., Modern French traître), from Latin traditor "betrayer," literally "one who delivers," agent noun from stem of tradere "deliver, hand over," from trans- "over" (see trans-) + dare "to give" (from PIE root *do- "to give"). Originally usually with a suggestion of Judas Iscariot; especially of one false to his allegiance to a sovereign, government, or cause from late 15c. Compare treason, tradition.ETD traitor (n.).2
late 14c., "guilty of treason," apparently from Old French traitros "treacherous" (13c.), from traitor (see traitor). Related: Traitorously; traitorousness.ETD traitorous (adj.).2
"path described by a body moving under the influence of given forces," 1690s, from Modern Latin trajectorium, from trajectorius "of or pertaining to throwing across," from Latin traiectus "thrown over or across," past participle of traicere "throw across, shoot across," from Latin trans "across, beyond" (see trans-) + icere, combining form of iacere "to throw" (from PIE root *ye- "to throw, impel"). Middle French and Middle English had trajectorie as "end of a funnel," from Latin traiectorium.ETD trajectory (n.).2
c. 1500, "beam or shaft of a barrow or sledge," also "a barrow or truck body" (1510s), Scottish, originally in reference to the iron trucks used in coal mines, probably from Middle Flemish tram "beam, handle of a barrow, bar, rung," a North Sea Germanic word of unknown origin.ETD tram (n.).2
The sense of "track for a barrow, tramway" is attested by 1826; that of "streetcar" is attested by 1879, short for tram-car "car used on a tramway" (1873).ETD tram (n.).3
mid-14c., "net to catch fish" (implied in trammeller "one who fishes with a trammel net"), from Old French tramail "fine-gauged fishnet" (13c.), from Late Latin tremaculum, perhaps meaning "a net made from three layers of meshes," from Latin tri- "three" (see tri-) + macula "a mesh" (see mail (n.2)). Meaning "anything that hinders" is from 1650s, originally "a hobble for a horse" (c. 1500). Italian tramaglio, Spanish trasmallo are French loan-words.ETD trammel (n.).2
1530s, originally "to bind up (a corpse);" sense of "hinder, restrain" is from 1727, from trammel (n.), a figurative use from the literal sense "bind (a horse's legs) with a trammel" (c. 1600). Related: Trammeled; trammeling.ETD trammel (v.).2