Where does “forgnaw” come from?

forgnaw (English) comes from English for, from Middle English for, from Old English fōr, from Proto-West Germanic furi, from Proto-Germanic furi, from Proto-Indo-European preh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European per-, from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós — passed , crossed.

forgnaw (English): To gnaw in pieces; eat up

Definitions

  1. To gnaw in pieces; eat up

Ancestry of “forgnaw”, step by step

forgnaw traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English for

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishforBecause, as, since; Towards; in the direction of;...
2Middle Englishforfor
3Old Englishfōrjourney; going, course, journey
4Proto-West Germanicfurifor; before; forward
5Proto-Germanicfurifor, before; before, forward
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpreh₂-before, in front
7Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

via English gnaw

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgnawTo bite something persistently, especially...
2Middle EnglishgnawenTo gnaw; to continually bite or chew; To eat or...
3Old Englishgnaganto gnaw
4Proto-West Germanicgnaganto gnaw
5Proto-Germanicgnaganąto gnaw
6Proto-Indo-Europeangʰnēgʰ-to gnaw, scratch

via Middle English forgnawen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishforgnawen
2Old Englishforgnaganto gnaw or eat up, gnaw away
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tósEvery word from Proto-Indo-European per-Every word from Proto-Indo-European preh₂-
forgnaw — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer