English
get a word in edgewise
Get a word in edgewise comes from English edgeways ‘with the edge facing in the direction of…’.
- English1500–presentedgeways‘with the edge facing in the direction of movement’
- Englishearliest quotation 1822get a word in edgewise
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- English1500–presentedgeways‘with the edge facing in the direction of movement’
- Englishearliest quotation 1822get a word in edgewise
Earliest quotation: 1822, James Colman, Letter VIII. The Contrast.: “Accordingly she was exceedingly elevated; alternately singing pieces of…”
Made of the words get + a + word + in + edgewise
Proto-Indo-European *gʰed- ‘to take, seize’
Proto-Germanic *getaną ‘to find; to acquire, get’
Old Norse geta ‘to get’
Middle English geten ‘to get’
English get
Proto-Indo-European *h₁óynos ‘one’
Proto-Germanic *ainaz ‘one’
Proto-West Germanic *ain ‘one’
Old English ān ‘one; a certain’
Middle English a
English a
Proto-Indo-European *werh₁- ‘to say’
…
Proto-Germanic *wurdą
Proto-West Germanic *word
Old English word
Middle English word ‘a word’
English word
Proto-Indo-European *h₁én ‘in’
Proto-Germanic *in
Proto-West Germanic *in
Old English in
Middle English in ‘inside’
English in
The story
The use of the word edgewise or edgeways (‘with the edge facing in the direction of movement’) is metaphorical, suggesting that the gap or opportunity for a person to speak is very slim.
Every English word from English edgeways
Today it means
verb To break into or participate in a conversation, especially where there is much interruption by other speakers.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / English edgeways / get a word in edgewise