Where does “veer” come from?
Veer comes from Middle Dutch vieren, from Old Dutch fīron, from Latin ferior and ferio, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots bʰer- and dʰeh₁-.
veer (English): To let out (a sail-line), to allow (a sheet) to run out
Definitions
- To let out (a sail-line), to allow (a sheet) to run out
Ancestry of “veer”, step by step
veer traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle Dutch vieren
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle Dutch | vieren | to celebrate (a religious holiday), to fulfill the duties of a holiday |
| 2 | Old Dutch | fīron | to rest, to take a day off |
| 3 | Latin | ferior | to rest from work, to keep holiday; first-person... |
| 4 | Latin | fēriae | a holy day; a festival; a holiday |
via Middle French virer
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | virer | — |