Where does “underwhip” come from?

underwhip (English) comes from English under, from Middle English under, from Old English under, from Proto-Germanic under, from Proto-Indo-European h₁entér, from Proto-Indo-European h₁en — in; in, inside.

underwhip (English): To fail to whip enough

Definitions

  1. To fail to whip enough

Ancestry of “underwhip”, step by step

underwhip traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English under

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishunderIn or at a lower level than; As a subject of;...
2Middle Englishunderunder
3Old Englishunderunder, beneath
4Proto-Germanicunderamong, between; under, beneath; under
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁entérbetween
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁enin; in, inside

via English whip

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwhipA lash; a pliant, flexible instrument, such as a...
2Middle Englishwhippen
3Middle Dutchwippento swing, leap, dance, oscillate
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁enEvery word from Proto-Indo-European h₁entérEvery word from Proto-Germanic under