Where does “something like that” come from?
something like that (English) comes from English like, from Dutch luik, from Middle Dutch luke, from Dutch luiken, from Middle Dutch luken, from Old Dutch lūcan, from Proto-West Germanic lūkan, from Proto-Germanic lūkaną — to break, tear; to break, shatter.
something like that (English): An intentionally vague thing, used in answers to leading questions which the speaker wishes to deflect or evade
Definitions
- An intentionally vague thing, used in answers to leading questions which the speaker wishes to deflect or evade
Ancestry of “something like that”, step by step
something like that traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English like
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | like | To enjoy, be pleased by; favor; be in favor of;... |
| 2 | Dutch | luik | hatch; shutter; panel, as in a triptych |
| 3 | Middle Dutch | luke | — |
| 4 | Dutch | luiken | to close, to shut |
| 5 | Middle Dutch | luken | to close, to shut; to close, to become closed |
| 6 | Old Dutch | lūcan | to close, shut |
| 7 | Proto-West Germanic | lūkan | to close, to shut |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | lūkaną | to close, to shut; Alternative form of *leukaną |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | lewǵ- | to break, tear; to break, shatter |
via English þat
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | þat | so, so that, in order that |
| 2 | Middle English | þat | Alternative form of that |
| 3 | Old English | þæt | nominative/accusative neuter singular of se: the;... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | þat | nominative/accusative singular neuter of *sa |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | tód | demonstrative pronoun; that; it |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | to- | it; that; the, that |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | só | this; that |