Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “blacklegging” come from?

blacklegging (English) comes from English blackleg, from English leg, from English legpuller, from English puller, from English pull, from Middle English pullen, from Irish -aí, from Old Irish -ide — Used to form adjectives from nouns, denoting...

blacklegging (English): The practice of working in place of those who are...

Definitions

  1. The practice of working in place of those who are...

Ancestry of “blacklegging”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishblacklegA person who takes the place of striking workers;...
2EnglishlegA limb or appendage that an animal uses for...
3EnglishlegpullerOne who teases or tells joking untruths
4EnglishpullerAnything that pulls, but especially a hoist in...
5EnglishpullTo apply a force to so that it comes toward the...
6Middle Englishpullento pull
7Irish-aíEnding of the plural of certain nouns; Agent...
8Old Irish-ide—
9Old Irish-deUsed to form adjectives from nouns, denoting...
Every word from Old Irish -de →