Where does “withdrawing” come from?
Withdrawing comes from Middle English withdrawen, formed from the Old English prefix wiþ- meaning "against" and the Proto-Germanic draganą meaning "to draw," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots for "pull" and "away."
withdrawing (English): present participle of withdraw; withdrawal
Definitions
- present participle of withdraw; withdrawal
Ancestry of “withdrawing”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | withdraw | To pull back, aside, or away; To stop talking... |
| 2 | Middle English | withdrawen | to draw away, draw back |
| 3 | Middle English | drawen | To pull, move or draw away; To draw, push, or... |
| 4 | Old English | draġan | to draw, drag |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | dragan | to haul, to carry |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | draganą | to draw, to pull, to carry |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰreǵ- | pull, draw, drag; to glide, swoop; to draw, glide |