Where does “half-assery” come from?
half-assery (English) comes from English half-ass, from English -ass, from English ass, from Middle English asse, from Old English assa, from Old English assen, from Latin asinus, from Latin acinus — sharp.
half-assery (English): The act of half-assing something; carelessness, perfunctoriness
Definitions
- The act of half-assing something; carelessness, perfunctoriness
Ancestry of “half-assery”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | half-ass | Produced in an incompetent or desultory manner, or of something lacking in quality or substance; of low rank; incompetent |
| 2 | English | -ass | Used to intensify an adjective; Used to convert... |
| 3 | English | ass | Any of several species of horse-like animals,... |
| 4 | Middle English | asse | Alternative form of axen |
| 5 | Old English | assa | ass, donkey |
| 6 | Old English | assen | she-ass |
| 7 | Latin | asinus | a donkey, an ass; an ass, an idiot, a dolt, a... |
| 8 | Latin | acinus | a berry, especially the grape; the seed of a... |
| 9 | Latin | acies | sharp edge or point; battle line; battle,... |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eḱ- | sharp |