Where does “lest” come from?

lest (Icelandic) comes from Middle Low German last, from Old Saxon hladan, from Proto-West Germanic hlaþan, from Proto-Germanic hlaþaną, from Proto-Indo-European kleh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European kelh₂- — to beat; to break.

lest (Icelandic): train, file, row, line; railway train; cargo hold

Definitions

  1. train, file, row, line; railway train; cargo hold

Ancestry of “lest”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Low Germanlast—
2Old Saxonhladanto load, to lade
3Proto-West Germanichlaþanto load
4Proto-Germanichlaþanąto load
5Proto-Indo-Europeankleh₂-to put; to lay out
6Proto-Indo-Europeankelh₂-to beat; to break

Words derived from “lest”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European kelh₂- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European kleh₂- →Every word from Proto-Germanic hlaþaną →
lest — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer