Where does “tawse” come from?

tawse (English) comes from English taw, from Middle English tawen, from Old English tawian, from Proto-Germanic *tauwjan, from Proto-Germanic tawjaną, from Proto-Indo-European dewh₂- — to fit.

tawse (English): A leather strap or thong which is split into (typically three) tails, used for corporal punishment in schools, applied to the palm of the hands or buttocks

Definitions

  1. A leather strap or thong which is split into (typically three) tails, used for corporal punishment in schools, applied to the palm of the hands or buttocks

Ancestry of “tawse”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtawTo prepare or dress, as hemp, by beating; to tew;...
2Middle Englishtawento taw, prepare
3Old Englishtawianto prepare, make ready
4Proto-Germanic*tauwjan—
5Proto-Germanictawjanąto make, complete
6Proto-Indo-Europeandewh₂-to fit
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dewh₂- →Every word from Proto-Germanic tawjaną →Every word from Proto-Germanic *tauwjan →