Online Etymology Dictionary

sagebrush (n.): 1850, from sage (n.1), to which it has no biological affinity, + brush (n.2). Said to be so called for resemblance of its appearance or odor.
Sage-brush is very fair fuel, but as a vegetable it is a distinguished failure. Nothing can abide the taste of it but the jackass and his illegitimate child, the mule. ["Mark Twain," "Roughing It"]
sett (n.): see set (n.1).
The extra t is an arbitrary addition in various technical senses, from a lawn-tennis to a granite set. Each class of persons has doubtless added it to distinguish the special sense that means most to it from all others ; but so many are the special senses that the distinction is now no more distinctive than an Esq. after a man's name, & all would do well to discard it. [Fowler]
illiberal (adj.): 1530s, "ungentlemanly, base, mean," from Middle French illiberal (14c.), from Latin illiberalis "ungenerous, mean, sordid; unworthy of a freeman; stingy, disobliging," from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + liberalis (see liberal (adj.)). A sense of "narrow-minded politically; unconcerned with the rights or liberties of others" is attested from 1640s (as a noun in this sense 1818), and might be revived to ease the load of meanings that weighs on conservative.
impassible (adj.): "incapable of feeling pain, exempt from suffering," mid-14c., from Old French impassible (13c.) or directly from Church Latin impassibilis "incapable of passion," from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + passibilis "capable of passion, feeling, or suffering, from passio "suffering" (see passion). Meaning "emotionless" is from 1590s. Related: Impassibility.
icosahedron (n.): "twenty-sided body," 1560s, from Latinized form of Greek eikosahedron, noun use of neuter of eikosahedros, from eikosi "twenty" + -hedra "seat, base, chair, face of a geometric solid," from PIE root *sed- (1) "to sit" (see sedentary). Greek eikosi is from PIE *wikmti- "twenty," from *wi- "in half" (hence "two") + (d)kmti-, from root *dekm- "ten" (see ten). Related: icosahedral.
imponderable (adj.): 1794, "weightless," from assimilated form of in- (1) "not, opposite of" + ponderable (see ponder). Figurative use, "unthinkable," from 1814. As a noun from 1829, originally meaning heat, light, electricity, etc., as having no weight. Related: Imponderably; imponderability. Imponderous is attested from 1640s as "without weight." Imponderabilia "unthinkable things collectively" is attested from 1835.
incivility (n.): 1580s, "want of civilized behavior, rudeness;" 1610s, "uncourteous behavior to others," from French incivilité (15c.), from Late Latin incivilitatem (nominative incivilitas), from incivilis "not civil," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + civilis "relating to a citizen, relating to public life, befitting a citizen; popular, affable, courteous" (see civil). Meaning "an act of rudeness" is from 1650s. Incivil "not conducive to common good" is from mid-15c.
paraclete (n.): mid-15c., Paraclit, a title of the Holy Spirit, from Old French paraclet (13c.), from Medieval Latin paracletus, from Greek parakletos "advocate, intercessor, legal assistant," noun use of adjective meaning "called to one's aid," from parakalein "to call to one's aid," in later use "to comfort, to console," from para (see para- (1)) + kalein "to call" (see claim (v.)).
parenchyma (n.): 1650s, Modern Latin, from Greek parenkhyma "something poured in beside," from para- "beside" (see para- (1)) + enkhyma "infusion," from en- "in" + khein "to pour" (see found (v.2)). In ancient physiology, the stuff that was supposed to make up the liver, lungs, etc., which was believed to be formed from blood strained through the capillaries and congealed.
pettish (adj.): 1550s, "impetuous," evidently from pet (n.2) in its "ill humor" sense + -ish. Meaning "peevish, easily annoyed" is from 1590s.
It has naturally been assoc. with PET sb.1, as being a characteristic habit of a "pet" or indulged and spoiled child; but the connexion of sense is not very clear or simple .... [OED]
Related: Pettishly; pettishness.
piezo-: word-forming element meaning "pressure," from comb. form of Greek piezein "to press tight, squeeze," from PIE *pi-sed-yo- "to sit upon" (source also of Sanskrit pidayati "presses, oppresses"), from *pi "on," short for *epi (see epi-) + *sed- (1) "to sit" (see sedentary). First in piezometer (1820); in common use in word formation from c. 1900.
protraction (n.): mid-15c., "drawing or writing of numbers," from Middle French protraction (15c.) and directly from Late Latin protractionem (nominative protractio) "a drawing out or lengthening," noun of action from past participle stem of Latin protrahere "to draw forward, draw out, bring forth;" figuratively "bring to light, reveal, expose," from pro- "forward" (see pro-) + trahere "to draw" (see tract (n.1)). Meaning "act of drawing out or prolonging" is from 1530s.
diastole (n.): 1570s, from medical Latin diastole, from Greek diastole "drawing asunder, dilation," from diastellein, from dia- "through, thoroughly, entirely" (see dia-) + stellein "to set in order, arrange, array, equip, make ready," from PIE *stel-yo-, suffixed form of root *stel- "to put, stand," with derivatives referring to a standing object or place (see stall (n.1)).
rat-race (n.): also rat race, 1934 in reference to aviation training, from rat (n.) + race (n.1). Rat-run is from 1870 in a literal sense.
A rat race is ... a simple game of "follow the leader" in fighter planes. The leader does everything he can think of -- Immelmanns, loops, snap rolls, and turns, always turns, tighter and tighter. ["Popular Science," May 1941]
Meaning "competitive struggle" is from 1945.
toolbar (n.): 1960 as a frame fitted to a tractor to hold tools; from tool (n.) + bar (n.1). Computer sense is attested from 1991.
Among 100-odd new features in Excel 3.0 is a row of "buttons" on the screen called the Toolbar. Located under the pull-down menus, the Toolbar provides rapid access to frequently used commands. ["Popular Science," April 1991.]
febrifuge (n.): "medicine that reduces fever," 1680s, from French fébrifuge, literally "driving fever away," from Latin febris (see fever) + fugare "cause to flee, put to flight, drive off, chase away, rout," also used in reference to banishment and exile, derived verb from fuga "flight," from PIE *bhug-a-, suffixed form of root *bheug- (1) "to flee" (see fugitive (adj.)).
barleycorn (n.): late 14c., from barley + corn (n.1). Perhaps to distinguish the barley plant or the grain from its products. In Britain and U.S., the grain is used mainly to prepare liquor, hence personification as John Barleycorn (1620) in popular ballad, and many now-obsolete figures of speech, such as to wear a barley cap (16c.) "to be drunk."
tack (v.2): "turn a ship's course toward the wind at an angle," 1550s, from tack (n.1) in the ship-rigging sense (the ropes were used to move the vessel temporarily to one side or another of its general line of course, to take advantage of a side-wind); hence tack (n.) "course of conduct or mode of action suited to some purpose" (1670s), from figurative use of the verb (1630s). Related: Tacked; tacking.
pit (v.): mid-15c., "to put into a pit," from pit (n.1); especially for purposes of fighting (of cocks, dogs, pugilists) from 1760. Figurative sense of "to set in rivalry" is from 1754. Meaning "to make pits in" is from late 15c. Related: Pitted; pitting. Compare Pit-bull as a dog breed attested from 1922, short for pit-bull terrier (by 1912). This also is the notion behind the meaning "the part of a theater on the floor of the house" (1640s).
top (v.): "put a top on," 1580s, perhaps mid-15c., from top (n.1). Earlier "cut the top off, shave the head" (c. 1300). The meaning "be higher or greater than" also is first recorded 1580s. Meaning "strike (a ball) towards its top" is from 1881. Related: Topped; topping. To top off "to finish" is colloquial from 1836; in sense "fill up, add more to to bring to fullness" it is from 1917.
plane (v.2): "soar, glide on motionless wings," early 15c., from Old French planer "to hover (as a bird), to lie flat," from plan (n.) "plane," from Latin planum "flat surface" (see plane (n.1)), on notion of bird gliding with flattened wings. Of boats, etc., "to skim over the surface of water," it is first found 1913. Related: Planed; planing.
spit (n.1): "saliva," early 14c., from spit (v.1). Meaning "the very likeness" in modern use is attested from 1825 (as in spitting image, attested from 1887); compare French craché in same sense. Spit-curl (1831) was originally considered colloquial or vulgar. Military phrase spit and polish first recorded 1895.
report (v.): late 14c., "to make known, tell, relate," from Old French reporter "to tell, relate; bring back, carry away, hand over," from Latin reportare "carry back, bear back, bring back," figuratively "report," in Medieval Latin "write (an account) for information or record," from re- "back" (see re-) + portare "to carry" (see port (n.1)). Early 15c. as "to submit" (to an authority, etc.). Meaning "to name someone as having offended somehow" is from 1885. Related: Reported; reporting.
pleio-: also pleo-, word-forming element meaning "more," from comb. form of Greek pleion "larger, greater in quantity, the more part, very many" (comp. of polys "much"), from PIE *ple- (source also of Latin plere "to fill," plebes, "the populace, the common people;" Greek plethein "be full," pleres "full"), possibly a variant of *pele- (1) "to fill" (see poly-).
cheese (v.): "stop (what one is doing), run off," 1812, thieves' slang, of uncertain origin. Meaning "to smile" is from 1930 (see cheese (n.1)). For meaning "to annoy," see cheesed.
CHEESE IT. Be silent, be quiet, don't do it. Cheese it, the coves are fly; be silent, the people understand our discourse. ["Dictionary of Buckish Slang, University Wit, and Pickpocket Eloquence," London, 1811]
poulterer (n.): "dealer in poultry," 1630s, a redundancy, but it has largely ousted original poulter (mid-13c., pulter), from Anglo-French poleter, pulleter, Old French pouletier "poulterer," from pouletrie (see poultry). With agent suffix -er (1). Poetic poulter's measure (1570s), according to Miller Williams, is "So called because with its thirteen feet it suggests the poulter's old practice of giving an extra egg with the second dozen." ["Patterns of Poetry," Louisiana State University, 1986].
scale (n.3): "series of registering marks to measure by; marks laid down to determine distance along a line," late 14c., from Latin scala "ladder, staircase" (see scale (v.1)). Meaning "succession or series of steps" is from c. 1600; that of "standard for estimation" (large scale, small scale, etc.) is from 1620s. Musical sense (1590s), and the meaning "proportion of a representation to the actual object" (1660s) are via Italian scala, from Latin scala.
ring (n.2): 1540s, "set of church bells," from ring (v.1). Meaning "a call on the telephone" is from 1900; to give (someone) a ring "call on the telephone" was in use by 1910. Meaning "a ringing tone" is from 1620s; specifically "the ringing sound made by a telephone" by 1951. Meaning "resonance of coin or glass as a test of genuineness" is from 1850, with transferred use (ring of truth, etc.).
spelling (n.): mid-15c., "action of reading letter by letter," verbal noun from spell (v.1). Meaning "manner of forming words with letters" is from 1660s; meaning "a way a word has been spelled" is from 1731. Spelling bee is from 1878 (see bee; earlier spelling match, 1845; the act of winning such a schoolroom contest is described 1854 as to spell (someone) down).
uxorial (adj.): "of or pertaining to a wife," 1778, from Latin uxoris (see uxorious) + -al (1). Sometimes is used in the sense of uxorius.
We still say that a husband hangs out the broom when his wife goes from home for a short time; and on such occasions a broom besom has been exhibited as a signal that the house was freed from uxorial restraint, and where the master might be considered as a temporary bachelor. [Samuel Johnson and George Steevens, notes to "The Tempest," 1778]
infortunate (adj.): "unlucky, luckless," late 14c., from Latin infortunatus, from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + fortunatus "prospered, prosperous; lucky, happy" (see fortunate (adj.)). Also used in medieval astrology in reference to the supposed malevolent influence of certain positions or combinations of planets. The word lies beneath the "obsolete" headstone in OED. Related: infortune (n.); infortunacy.
innominable (adj.): "unnameable," late 14c., from Old French innominable, from Late Latin innominabilis "that cannot be named," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + *nominabilis, from Latin nominalis "pertaining to a name or names," from nomen (genitive nominis) "name"(see name (n.)). In jocular use, innominables = "trousers" (1827; see inexpressible).
insufflation (n.): 1570s, in ecclesiastical use, "a breathing upon," to symbolize the influence of the Holy Ghost or to expel evil spirits, from Late Latin insufflationem (nominative insufflatio) "a blowing into," noun of action from past participle stem of insufflare, from in- "in, into" (see in- (2)) + sufflare "blow from below," from assimilated form of sub- "under, below" (see sub-) + flare "to blow" (see blow (v.1)). Medical sense of "a blowing of air into" (the lungs) is from 1821; that sense is found earlier in French.
Inverness: literally "mouth of the (River) Ness (for which see Nessie), from Inver-, element in place names in Scotland of Gaelic origin, usually of places at the confluence of a river with another or the sea, from Old Irish *in(d)ber- "estuary," literally "a carrying in," from Celtic *endo-ber-o-, from *endo- "in" (from PIE *en-do-, extended form of root *en; see in) + from *ber- "to carry," from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry" (see infer).
jetton (n.): disc of cheap metal stamped like a coin and used as counters or checks in card games, accounting, etc., 1762, from French jeton, from Old French jeter "to calculate," literally "to throw" (see jet (v.1)). They were common 16c.-17c. French jeton also was used mid-20c. of special coins used in pay phones.
hide-and-seek (n.): children's game, by 1670s, replaced earlier all hid (1580s). See hide (v.1) + seek (v.). Form hide-and-go-seek recorded from 1767, also hide-and-find (1750). Variant hide-and-coop is from 1827. Also I-spy or hy-spy (1777). Another old name for it was king-by-your-leave (1570s).
hyperalgesia (n.): "abnormal sensitivity to pain," 1854, from hyper- "over, exceedingly, to excess" + ending probably based on analgesia. Related: Hyperalgesic.
Hyperaesthesia, then, is the peculiar state in which the absolute sensibility is increased--the minimum of stimulation needed to excite perception being less than normal. Hyperalgesia is where stimuli which normally cause only a slight sensation give rise to pain in consequence of the lowering of the pain minimum. ["The Medical Record," April 1, 1867]
key (v.): mid-14c., "fasten with a wedge or key" (implied in keyed), from key (n.1). From 1630s as "regulate the pitch of a musical instrument by means of a key," also in the figurative sense "give a tone or intensity to." From 1963 as "do data entry or other work on a keyboard." Meaning "to scratch (a car's paint job) with a metal key" is recorded by 1986. Related: Keyed; keying.
leitmotif (n.): also leitmotiv, "a musical figure to which some definite meaning is attached," 1876, from German Leitmotiv, literally "leading motive," from leiten "to lead" (see lead (v.1)) + Motiv (see motive). A term associated with Wagnerian musical drama, though the thing itself is at least as old as Mozart. "The leitmotif must be characteristic of the person or thing it is intended to represent." ["Elson's Music Dictionary"]
lepton (n.): elementary particle of small mass, 1948, from Greek leptos "small, slight, slender, delicate, subtle," literally "peeled," or "threshed out" (from lepein "to peel," from PIE *lep- (1), a root which yields words for "peel" as well as "small shaving, scale (of a fish)," hence used of things fine, delicate, or weak; see leper) + -on. In Greek it was the name of a small coin, from neuter of leptos. Related: Leptonic.
imprimatur (n.): "licence to print, granted by a licenser of the press," 1640, Modern Latin, literally "let it be printed," the formula of a book licenser, third person singular present subjunctive passive of Latin imprimere "to print, engrave, stamp; press upon, press against" (see impress (v.1)). Originally of state licence to print books, later only of Roman Catholic Church.
lick (v.2): "to beat, surpass, overcome" 1535, perhaps from figurative use of lick (v.1) in the Coverdale bible that year in sense of "defeat, annihilate" (an enemy's forces) in Num. xxii:4:
Now shal this heape licke up all that is about vs, euen as an oxe licketh vp the grasse in the field.
But to lick (of) the whip "taste punishment" is attested from mid-15c.
lighter (n.1): type of barge used in unloading, late 15c., agent noun from light (adj.1), with a sense of lightening a load, or else from or modeled on Dutch lichter, from lichten "to lighten, unload," on the same notion. They are used in loading or unloading ships that cannot approach a wharf. Related: Lighterman.
lily-livered (adj.): "cowardly," 1605, in "Macbeth;" from lily (in its color sense of "pale, bloodless") + liver (n.1), which was a supposed seat of love and passion. A healthy liver is typically dark reddish-brown. Other similar expressions: lily-handed "having white, delicate hands," lily-faced "pale-faced; affectedly modest or sensitive."
limelight (n.): 1826, popular name for Drummond light or calcium light, a brilliant light created by the incandescence of lime (n.1); adopted for lighthouses and later for the Victorian stage, where it illuminated the principal actors, hence the figurative use of the phrase in the limelight "on stage, at the center of attention" (1877).
lip-service (n.): "something proffered but not performed, service with the lips only; insincere profession of good will," 1640s, from lip (n.) + service (n.1). Earlier in same sense was lip-labour (1530s). This was a general pattern in 16c.-17c., for example lip-wisdom (1580s), the wisdom of those who do not practice what they preach; lip-religion (1590s), lip-devotion "prayer without genuine faith or desire" (c. 1600); lip-comfort (1630s).
blacklist (n.): also black-list, black list, "list of persons who have incurred suspicion," 1610s, from black (adj.), here indicative of disgrace, censure, punishment (attested from 1590s, in black book) + list (n.1). Specifically of employers' list of workers considered troublesome (usually for union activity) is from 1888. As a verb, from 1718. Related: Blacklisted; blacklisting.
literate (adj.): "educated, instructed, having knowledge of letters," early 15c., from Latin literatus/litteratus "educated, learned, who knows the letters;" formed in imitation of Greek grammatikos from Latin littera/litera "alphabetic letter" (see letter (n.1)). By late 18c. especially "acquainted with literature." As a noun, "one who can read and write," 1894.
lithotripsy (n.): operation of crushing a stone in the bladder, 1834, from litho- "stone" + -tripsy, from Greek tripsis "rubbing, friction," from tribein "to rub, thresh, pound, wear out," from PIE root *tere- (1) "to rub, turn, twist" (see throw (v.)). Klein says the intended Greek word is thryptein "to crush" and there has been "confusion" with tribein.
colony (n.): late 14c., "ancient Roman settlement outside Italy," from Latin colonia "settled land, farm, landed estate," from colonus "husbandman, tenant farmer, settler in new land," from colere "to cultivate, to till; to inhabit; to frequent, practice, respect; tend, guard," from PIE root *kwel- (1) forming words to do with turning, rolling, and wheels (source also of Latin -cola "inhabitant;" see cycle (n.)). Also used by the Romans to translate Greek apoikia "people from home." Modern application dates from 1540s.