English
restrain
Restrain comes from Latin rēstringō ‘fasten, tighten’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *strengʰ- ‘to twist’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*strengʰ-‘to twist’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*stréngʰetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*strengōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEstringō‘press, tighten, compress’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CErēstringōas rēstringere‘fasten, tighten’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400restreindre
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500restreinen
- Englishearliest quotation 1875restrain
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*strengʰ-‘to twist’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*stréngʰetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*strengōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEstringō‘press, tighten, compress’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CErēstringōas rēstringere‘fasten, tighten’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400restreindre
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500restreinen
- Englishearliest quotation 1875restrain
Earliest quotation: 1875, Russell Thacher Trall, The Mother's Hygienic Hand-book: “As with vicarious mismenstruation, the abnormal cessation only requires…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *strengʰ- ‘to twist’
strong, strength, string, 41 more
through Proto-Indo-European *stréngʰeti
through Proto-Italic *strengō
constriction, constrictor, constrict, 33 more
through Latin stringō ‘press, tighten, compress’
district, stress, strict, prestige, strait, constraint, constrain, 39 more
Today it means
verb To control or keep in check.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *strengʰ- / restrain