Where does “wrong 'un” come from?
wrong 'un (English) comes from English wrong, from Middle English wrong, from Old English wrang, from Old Norse rangr, from Old Norse wrangr, from Proto-Germanic wrangaz, from Proto-Indo-European werḱ-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.
wrong 'un (English): A dishonest or disreputable person; a crook or...
Definitions
- A dishonest or disreputable person; a crook or...
Ancestry of “wrong 'un”, step by step
wrong 'un traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English wrong
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | wrong | Incorrect or untrue; Asserting something... |
| 2 | Middle English | wrong | A wrong, injustice; A wrong, evil, wrongdoing,... |
| 3 | Old English | wrang | wrong, injustice; rough, uneven |
| 4 | Old Norse | rangr | unjust |
| 5 | Old Norse | wrangr | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | wrangaz | twisted, warped, bent, crooked, wry; wretched,... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | werḱ- | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |
via English One
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | One | The number represented by the Arabic numeral 1; the numerical value equal to that cardinal number |
| 2 | Middle English | on | on, in; on; Alternative form of oon |
| 3 | Old English | on | on, in, at, among; from |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | ana | on |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | *an | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | ana | on, at; on, onto; ana |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂en- | on, onto |