English
sprain
Sprain may come from Middle French espraindre ‘to squeeze or press out’.
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600espraindre‘to squeeze or press out’uncertain
- Englishearliest quotation 1963sprain
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600espraindre‘to squeeze or press out’uncertain
- Englishearliest quotation 1963sprain
Earliest quotation: 1963, Hare-Breadth Hurry: “Hi! I suppose you're expecting the Roadrunner! Well, he…”
The story
Noun attested since 1601; verb attested 1622. Possibly borrowed from Middle French espraindre (‘to squeeze or press out’), from Latin exprimere (‘to squeeze out, express’), in which case cognate to express.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *pres- ‘to press’
first, impressionable, impressionist, impressionism, expressionism, frist, 29 more
through Proto-Italic *pres-
pressure, depression, expression, impressive, impression, impress, compression, oppression, suppression, depressive, compress, depress, repress, 33 more
through Latin premō ‘press’
press, pregnant, imprint, reprimand, imprimatur, 46 more
through Latin exprimo ‘to squeeze out, express’
Today it means
verb To weaken, as a joint, ligament, or muscle, by sudden and excessive exertion, as by wrenching; to overstrain, or stretch injuriously, but without luxation
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Middle French espraindre / sprain