Where does “whoop ass” come from?
whoop ass (English) comes from English ass, from Middle English asse, from Old English assa, from Old English assen, from Latin asinus, from Latin acinus, from Latin acies, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eḱ- — sharp.
whoop ass (English): To beat or strike; To defeat in a fight; To...
Definitions
- To beat or strike; To defeat in a fight; To...
Ancestry of “whoop ass”, step by step
whoop ass traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English ass
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ass | Any of several species of horse-like animals,... |
| 2 | Middle English | asse | Alternative form of axen |
| 3 | Old English | assa | ass, donkey |
| 4 | Old English | assen | she-ass |
| 5 | Latin | asinus | a donkey, an ass; an ass, an idiot, a dolt, a... |
| 6 | Latin | acinus | a berry, especially the grape; the seed of a... |
| 7 | Latin | acies | sharp edge or point; battle line; battle,... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eḱ- | sharp |
via English whoop
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | whoop | A loud, eager cry, usually of joy; A gasp,... |
| 2 | Middle English | wop | the action of or a moment of crying or weeping;... |
| 3 | Old English | wōp | cry, outcry, shrieking, weeping, lamentation |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wōpaz | shout, cry, wail |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | w(e/o)h₂b-os | — |