Where does “benchslap” come from?

benchslap (English) comes from English bench, from Middle English bench, from Old English benċ, from Proto-West Germanic banki, from Proto-Germanic bankiz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰeg- — to break.

benchslap (English): A judicial ruling or opinion that is harsh or...

Definitions

  1. A judicial ruling or opinion that is harsh or...

Ancestry of “benchslap”, step by step

benchslap traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English bench

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbenchA long seat with or without a back, found for...
2Middle Englishbench
3Old Englishbenċbench
4Proto-West Germanicbankibench
5Proto-Germanicbankiza raised surface; bulge; hillock; slope; bench
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeg-to break

via English bitch slap

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishbitch slapAn open-handed slap to the face; Alternative...
2Englishbitch-slapAlternative spelling of bitch slap; To slap...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰeg-Every word from Proto-Germanic bankizEvery word from Proto-West Germanic banki