Where does “hold” come from?
hold (Middle English) comes from Old English hold, from Proto-Germanic huldą, from Proto-Indo-European ḱol-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- — to cover; to incline.
hold (Middle English): grasp, grip; control, possession, rule
Definitions
- grasp, grip; control, possession, rule
Ancestry of “hold”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | hold | dead body; carcass; gracious, loyal, kind |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | huldą | sliced meat |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱol- | thorn, thorny plant |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱel- | to cover; to incline |