Where does “þurhdrifan” come from?

þurhdrifan (Old English) comes from Old English drīfan, from Proto-West Germanic drīban, from Proto-Germanic drībaną, from Proto-Indo-European dʰreybʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- — to support; to hold.

þurhdrifan (Old English): to drive through, pierce, transfix

Definitions

  1. to drive through, pierce, transfix

Ancestry of “þurhdrifan”, step by step

þurhdrifan traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English drīfan

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishdrīfanto drive, force, move, chase, hunt, follow up,...
2Proto-West Germanicdrībanto drive, to push, to compel to go
3Proto-Germanicdrībanąto drive, push, compel to go
4Proto-Indo-Europeandʰreybʰ-to drive, push
5Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold

via Old English þurh

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old EnglishþurhAPI; through; by means of: by, through, via
2Proto-Germanicþurhwthrough
3Proto-Indo-Europeantr̥h₂kʷe
4Proto-Indo-Europeanterh₂-to cross over, pass through, overcome
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer-Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰreybʰ-Every word from Proto-Germanic drībaną
þurhdrifan — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer