Where does “thimblerigger” come from?
thimblerigger (English) comes from English thimblerig, from English rig, from English ring, from Middle English ryng, from Old English hring, from Proto-West Germanic hring, from Proto-Germanic hringaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)krengʰ- — to cut, cut off, sever.
thimblerigger (English): One who cheats by thimblerigging, or tricks of...
Definitions
- One who cheats by thimblerigging, or tricks of...
Ancestry of “thimblerigger”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | thimblerig | A game of skill which requires the bettor to... |
| 2 | English | rig | The rigging of a sailing ship or other such... |
| 3 | English | ring | A solid object in the shape of a circle; A group... |
| 4 | Middle English | ryng | — |
| 5 | Old English | hring | ring |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | hring | ring, circle |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | hringaz | ring, circle; curve; sound, ring |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)krengʰ- | to turn, bend |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ker- | to cut off; to turn, bend |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | sek- | to cut, cut off, sever |