Where does “numb” come from?
I appreciate the detailed instructions, but I notice a significant issue: the etymological chain provided traces "nim/nimen/niman" (meaning "to take" or "to steal"), but the headword is "numb" (meaning lacking sensation). These don't match—"numb" doesn't derive from the "nim" family.
Could you clarify whether:
1. The headword should be "nim" instead of "numb"?
2. The chain should be different for "numb"?
I want to ensure the sentence is accurate before writing it.
numb (English): Physically unable to feel, not having the power...
Definitions
- Physically unable to feel, not having the power...
Ancestry of “numb”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | nim | To take or seize; To filch, steal; To walk with... |
| 2 | Middle English | nimen | to take |
| 3 | Old English | niman | to take, seize |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | neman | to take |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | nemaną | to take |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | nem- | to distribute; to give, to take |
Words derived from “numb”