thwart
Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2006 1:41 am
One way or another, I've been hearing this word all day. Not a word one hears that often, I thought to myself.
thwart (v)
Prevent the occurrence, realization or attainment of.
From etymonline.com:
thwart (adv.)
c.1200, from O.N. þvert "across," originally neut. of thverr (adj.) "transverse, across," cognate with O.E. þweorh "transverse, perverse, angry, cross," from P.Gmc. *thwerkhaz (cf. M.Du. dwers, Du. dwars "cross-grained, contrary," O.H.G. twerh, Ger. quer, Goth. þwairhs "angry"), altered (by influence of *thwer- "to turn") from *therkh-, from PIE *twork-/*twerk- "twist" (cf. L. torquere "to twist," Skt. tarkuh "spindle," O.C.S. traku "band, girdle," O.H.G. drahsil "turner," Ger. drechseln "to turn on a lathe"). The verb meaning "oppose, hinder" is c.1250, from the adv. and prep.
Apparently, an interesting adverb that suddenly morphs into a verb. Notice, too, the root in "torquere" and the relationship to modern "torture." Apparently, thwarting (as an activity) began in about 1250.
Happily, we're still doing it today.
-- PW
thwart (v)
Prevent the occurrence, realization or attainment of.
From etymonline.com:
thwart (adv.)
c.1200, from O.N. þvert "across," originally neut. of thverr (adj.) "transverse, across," cognate with O.E. þweorh "transverse, perverse, angry, cross," from P.Gmc. *thwerkhaz (cf. M.Du. dwers, Du. dwars "cross-grained, contrary," O.H.G. twerh, Ger. quer, Goth. þwairhs "angry"), altered (by influence of *thwer- "to turn") from *therkh-, from PIE *twork-/*twerk- "twist" (cf. L. torquere "to twist," Skt. tarkuh "spindle," O.C.S. traku "band, girdle," O.H.G. drahsil "turner," Ger. drechseln "to turn on a lathe"). The verb meaning "oppose, hinder" is c.1250, from the adv. and prep.
Apparently, an interesting adverb that suddenly morphs into a verb. Notice, too, the root in "torquere" and the relationship to modern "torture." Apparently, thwarting (as an activity) began in about 1250.
Happily, we're still doing it today.
-- PW