Where does “bend it like Beckham” come from?

bend it like Beckham (English) comes from English like, from Dutch luik, from Middle Dutch luke, from Dutch luiken, from Middle Dutch luken, from Old Dutch lūcan, from Proto-West Germanic lūkan, from Proto-Germanic lūkaną — to break, tear; to break, shatter.

bend it like Beckham (English): To kick a football (soccer ball), especially during a free kick, in a manner which causes it to move in a curve rather than in a straight line

Definitions

  1. To kick a football (soccer ball), especially during a free kick, in a manner which causes it to move in a curve rather than in a straight line

Ancestry of “bend it like Beckham”, step by step

bend it like Beckham traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English like

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlikeTo enjoy, be pleased by; favor; be in favor of;...
2Dutchluikhatch; shutter; panel, as in a triptych
3Middle Dutchluke
4Dutchluikento close, to shut
5Middle Dutchlukento close, to shut; to close, to become closed
6Old Dutchlūcanto close, shut
7Proto-West Germaniclūkanto close, to shut
8Proto-Germaniclūkanąto close, to shut; Alternative form of *leukaną
9Proto-Indo-Europeanlewǵ-to break, tear; to break, shatter

via English bend

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbendTo cause to change its shape into a curve, by...
2Middle Englishbenden
3Old Englishbendanto bind; to bend a bow
4Proto-West Germanicbandijanto bind
5Proto-GermanicbandijanąTo bind, fetter, restrain; stretch; To bend
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰendʰ-to bind; bond

via English Beckham

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishBeckham
2Old Englishhāmhome; village, community; village, hamlet, manor,...
3Proto-West Germanichaimhome
4Proto-Germanichaimazhome; house; village
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱóymosof the home, belonging to the family; village,...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱey-to be lying down; to settle
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewǵ-Every word from Proto-Germanic lūkanąEvery word from Proto-West Germanic lūkan