Where does “crapehanger” come from?

crapehanger (English) comes from English hanger, from English Hang, from English dang, from English damn, from Middle English dampnen, from Old French dampner, from Latin damnō, from Latin damnum — to share, divide.

crapehanger (English): A pessimist or doomsayer

Definitions

  1. A pessimist or doomsayer

Ancestry of “crapehanger”, step by step

crapehanger traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English hanger

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishhangerOne who hangs, or causes to be hanged; a hangman,...
2EnglishHangName and trademark of a musical instrument...
3EnglishdangDamn; A damn, a negligible quantity, minimal...
4EnglishdamnTo condemn to hell; To condemn; to declare...
5Middle Englishdampnento damn
6Old Frenchdampnerto damn
7Latindamnōto discredit, find fault, disapprove, reject
8Latindamnumdamage or injury; loss; a fine
9Proto-Italicdapnom
10Proto-Indo-Europeandh₂pnómexpense, investment
11Proto-Indo-Europeandeh₂p-to sacrifice; to lose
12Proto-Indo-Europeandeh₂-to share, divide

via English crape

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcrapeAlternative form of crepe; Mourning garments,...
2Middle Frenchcrespecurly
3Latincrispuscurly; crimped; tremulous
4Proto-Indo-European(s)ker-to cut off; to turn, bend
5Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever
Every word from Proto-Indo-European deh₂-