Where does “numbly” come from?
Numbly derives from English numb, Old English nimol (meaning "quick to seize"), from Old English niman ("to take"), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ḱóm and līg-.
numbly (English): In a numb manner; without feeling
Definitions
- In a numb manner; without feeling
Ancestry of “numbly”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | numb | Physically unable to feel, not having the power... |
| 2 | English | nim | To take or seize; To filch, steal; To walk with... |
| 3 | Middle English | nimen | to take |
| 4 | Old English | niman | to take, seize |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | neman | to take |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | nemaną | to take |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | nem- | to distribute; to give, to take |