Where does “restrain” come from?

Restrain comes from Middle English restreinen, from Old French restreindre, from Latin restringere and restringo, built with the prefix re- and a root from Proto-Indo-European strenk-, streyg-, and wer-.

restrain (English): To control or keep in check; To deprive of...

Definitions

  1. To control or keep in check; To deprive of...

Ancestry of “restrain”, step by step

restrain traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English re

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishreAbout, regarding, with reference to; especially...
2EnglishreinsuranceInsurance purchased by insurance companies that...
3Englishre-again, anew; a completive or intensification of...
4Middle Englishre-—
5Old Frenchre-re- again; once more
6Latinrĕ-back, backwards
7Latinprōdūcōto lead or bring forth, forward or out
8Latinprō-forward direction, forward movement
9Proto-Italic*pro-pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
11Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
12Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
13Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

via English strain

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishstrainRace; lineage, pedigree; A particular variety of...
2Middle Englishstraynen—
3Old Frenchestreindreto strain
4Vulgar Latinstrinctustightened, compressed
5Latinstrictustightened, compressed, having been tightened;...
6Latinstringeresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
7LatinstringoI press, tighten, compress; I unsheath
8Proto-Italicstringō—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanstreyg-to strike; to shear
10Proto-Indo-European(s)ter-strong, firm, stiff, rigid; rigid, stiff; to...

via Middle English restreinen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishrestreinen—
2Old Frenchrestreindre—
3Latinrestringōto draw back tightly, bind back or fast, tighten

Words derived from “restrain”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →