Where does “scrimshank” come from?
scrimshank (English) comes from English scrimp, from Middle Low German schrimpen, from Proto-Germanic skrimpaną, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kerbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker-, from Proto-Indo-European sek- — to cut, cut off, sever.
scrimshank (English): To shirk duty
Definitions
- To shirk duty
Ancestry of “scrimshank”, step by step
scrimshank traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English scrimp
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | scrimp | A pinching miser; a niggard; To make too small or... |
| 2 | Middle Low German | schrimpen | to shrivel up, shrink; to shrivel up, wrinkle |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | skrimpaną | to contract, to shrink |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kerbʰ- | to scratch, scrape |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ker- | to cut off; to turn, bend |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sek- | to cut, cut off, sever |
via English swanker
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | swanker | comparative form of swank: more swank |