Where does “вовсю” come from?
вовсю (Russian) comes from Russian весь, from Old East Slavic вьсь, from Proto-Slavic vьśь, from Proto-Indo-European weyḱ-, from Proto-Indo-European wey- — to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;...
вовсю (Russian): as much or strongly as one can, to one's utmost
Definitions
- as much or strongly as one can, to one's utmost
Ancestry of “вовсю”, step by step
вовсю traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Russian весь
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Russian | весь | all, the whole, the whole of; everything, all;... |
| 2 | Old East Slavic | вьсь | entire, whole |
| 3 | Proto-Slavic | vьśь | all |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | weyḱ- | to enter in; to settle; settlement |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wey- | to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;... |
via Russian во
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Russian | во | in, at, on; to, into; at, in, on |