Where does “shirtlifting” come from?

shirtlifting (English) comes from English lifting, from English lift, from Middle English lifte, from Old English lyft, from Proto-West Germanic luftu, from Proto-Germanic luftuz, from Proto-Indo-European lewp-, from Proto-Indo-European lew- — dirt, mud; to cut, remove, prune, separate; to...

shirtlifting (English): Of a man: effeminately homosexual

Definitions

  1. Of a man: effeminately homosexual

Ancestry of “shirtlifting”, step by step

shirtlifting traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English lifting

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishliftingThe action or process by which something is...
2EnglishliftTo raise or rise; To steal; To source directly...
3Middle Englishlifte
4Old Englishlyftair, atmosphere; the sky
5Proto-West Germaniclufturoof; air
6Proto-Germanicluftuzroof; roof of the earth, firmament; heavens, sky;...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanlewp-peel, break off; to flake off, peel, damage; to...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanlew-dirt, mud; to cut, remove, prune, separate; to...

via English shirt

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishshirtAn article of clothing that is worn on the upper...
2Middle EnglishschirteAlternative form of sherte
3Old Englishsċyrtea short garment; skirt; kirtle
4Proto-West Germanicskurtijāskirt, apron
5Proto-Germanicskurtijǭskirt, apron
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lew-Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewp-Every word from Proto-Germanic luftuz