A compound of guy + line
Proto-Indo-European *h₁widʰ-u-s
…
Proto-West Germanic *widu ‘wood’
Proto-West Germanic *Widō
Old French Gui
English Guy
English guy
Proto-Germanic *līną ‘flax’
Proto-Germanic *līnǭ ‘line’
Proto-West Germanic *līnā ‘line’
Old English līne ‘line’
Middle English line ‘rope’
English line
Today it means
noun A rope or cable (a line) used to restrain the motion of something. As a cable used to prevent a mast from falling over.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / guyline
Shirt and support for this word