Where does “holdoff” come from?

holdoff (English) comes from English hold, from English hole, from Middle English hole, from Old English hol, from Proto-West Germanic hol, from Proto-Germanic hulą, from Proto-Germanic hulaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- — to cover; to incline.

holdoff (English): A fixture or attachment intended to prevent...

Definitions

  1. A fixture or attachment intended to prevent...

Ancestry of “holdoff”, step by step

holdoff traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English hold

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishholdTo grasp or grip; To contain or store; "To...
2EnglishholeA hollow place or cavity; an excavation; a pit;...
3Middle Englishholehealthy; safe; whole, complete, full
4Old Englishhola hole, a hollow; calumny; slander
5Proto-West Germanicholhollow; hole
6Proto-Germanichuląa hollow; depression; hole
7Proto-Germanichulazhollow
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱel-to cover; to incline

via English off

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishoffIn a direction away from the speaker or object;...
2Middle Englishofof; off; until
3Old Englishofof, from, off, out of
4Old Englishæfof
5Proto-Germanic*ab
6Proto-Indo-Europeanapó
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱel-Every word from Proto-Germanic hulazEvery word from Proto-Germanic hulą