Online Etymology Dictionary

deal (1): from O.E. dæl "part, share, quantity," and its verbal derivative dælan "to divide," from P.Gmc. *dailaz; also found in Balto-Slavic (cf. O.C.S. delu "part," Lith. dalis). Meaning "to distribute cards before a game" is from 1520s; business sense is 1837, originally slang. Meaning "an amount" is from 1560s. New Deal is from F.D. Roosevelt speech of July 1932. Big deal is 1928; ironic use first recorded 1951 in "Catcher in the Rye." To deal with "handle" is attested from mid-15c. Deal breaker is attested by 1975.
dealer: O.E. dælere, agent noun from deal. Meaning "player who passes out the cards in a game" is from c.1600; meaning "one who deals in merchandise" is from 1610s. Illegal drug sense is recorded by 1920. Related: Dealership (1916).
deal (2): "plank or board of pine," c.1400, from Low Ger. (cf. M.L.G. dele), from P.Gmc. *theljon. An O.E. derivative was þelu "hewn wood, board, flooring."
easy: c.1200, "at ease," from O.Fr. aisie, pp. of aisier "to put at ease," from aise (see ease). Sense of "not difficult to deal with" is mid-14c.; of conditions, "comfortable," late 14c. The concept of "not difficult" was expressed in O.E. and early M.E. by eaþe (adv.), ieþe (adj.), apparently common W.Gmc., but of disputed origin. Easy Street first printed 1901 in "Peck's Red-Headed Boy." Easy rider (1912) was U.S. black slang for "sexually satisfying lover." The easy listening radio format is from 1965, defined by William Safire (in 1986) as, "the music of the 60's played in the 80's with the style of the 40's." Related: Easier; easiest.
handle (n.): O.E. handle, formed from hand in the sense of a tool in the way thimble was formed from thumb. The verb is O.E. handlian "to touch or move with the hands." Akin to O.N. höndla "th seize, capture," Dan. handle "to trade, deal," Ger. handeln "to bargain, trade." The commercial sense was weaker in Eng. than in some other Gmc. languages, but it emerged in Amer.Eng. (1888) from the notion of something passing through one's hands. The slang sense of "nickname" is first recorded 1870. Handlebar first recorded 1887 (as two words), in reference to bicycles; of mustaches, it is first recorded 1933. To fly off the handle (1843) is a figurative reference to an axe head. To get a handle on "get control of" is first recorded 1972. Handler "boxer's assistant" (1950) was originally in dogfights or cockfights (1825).
package: 1540, "the act of packing," from pack (n.) or from cognate Du. pakkage "baggage." The main modern sense of "bundle, parcel" is first attested 1722. The verb is 1922, from the noun. Package deal is from 1952.
raw: O.E. hreaw "uncooked, raw," from P.Gmc. *khrawaz (cf. O.N. hrar, M.Du. rau, O.H.G. hrawer, Ger. roh), from PIE base *krowos "congealed, bloody" (cf. Skt. kravih "raw flesh," krura- "bloody, raw, hard;" Gk. kreas "flesh;" L. crudus "not cooked," cruor "thick blood;" O.Ir. cru, Lith. kraujas, O.C.S. kruvi "blood;" O.E. hrot "thick fluid, serum"). Meaning "tender, sore" is from c.1390; of persons, "inexperienced" from 1561; "damp and chilly" first recorded 1546. Rawhide is first attested 1658; raw material is from 1796. Phrase in the raw "naked" (1933) is from the raw "exposed flesh," attested from 1823. Raw deal "harsh treatment" first attested 1912.
strike (v.): O.E. strican "pass over lightly, stroke, smooth, rub," also "go, proceed" (past tense strac, pp. stricen), from P.Gmc. *strik- (cf. O.N. strykva "to stroke," O.Fris. strika, M.Du. streken, Du. strikjen "to smooth, stroke, rub," O.H.G. strihhan, Ger. streichen), from PIE base *str(e)ig- "to stroke, rub, press" (see strigil). Related to streak and stroke, and perhaps influenced in sense development by cognate O.N. striuka. Sense of "to deal a blow" developed by early 14c.; meaning "to collide" is from mid-14c.; that of "to hit with a missile" is from late 14c. Meaning "to cancel or expunge" (as with the stroke of a pen) is attested from late 14c. An older sense is preserved in strike for "go toward."
fine (adj.): c.1300, from O.Fr. fin "perfected, of highest quality," from L. finis "end, limit" (see finish); hence "acme, peak, height," as in finis boni "the highest good." In French, the main meaning remains "delicate, intricately skillful;" in English since mid-15c. fine is also a general expression of admiration or approval, the equivalent of Fr. beau (cf. fine arts, 1767, translating Fr. beaux-arts). Related: Finely; finer; finest. Fine print "qualifications and limitations of a deal" first recorded 1960. Fine-tune (v.) is 1969, a back-formation from fine-tuning (1924), originally in reference to radio receivers.
incapacity: 1611, from M.L. incapacitas, from L.L. incapax (gen. incapacis) "incapable," from in- "not" + L. capax "capable," lit. "able to hold much," from capere "to take" (see capable). Often used 17c. as a legal term referring to inability to take, receive, or deal with in some way.
nimble: "agile, light-footed," c.1300, nemel, from O.E. næmel "quick to grasp" (attested only once), related to niman "to take," from P.Gmc. *nemanan (cf. O.Du., Goth. niman, O.N. nema, O.Fris. nima, Ger. nehmen "to take"), from PIE base *nem- "to divide, distribute, allot" (cf. Gk. nemein "to deal out," nemesis "just indignation," L. numerus "number," Lith. nuoma "rent, interest," M.Ir. nos "custom, usage"). With excrescent -b- from c.1500 (cf. limb).
ordeal: O.E. ordel, lit. "judgment, verdict," from P.Gmc. noun *uzdailjam (cf. O.Fris. urdel, Du. oordeel, Ger. urteil "judgment"), lit. "that which is dealt out" (by the gods), from *uzdailijan "share out," related to O.E. adælan "to deal out" (see deal). The notion is of the kind of arduous physical test (such as walking blindfolded and barefoot between red-hot plowshares) that was believed to determine a person's guilt or innocence by immediate judgment of the deity, an ancient Teutonic mode of trial. Eng. retains a more exact sense of the word; its cognates in Ger., etc., have been generalized. Curiously absent in M.E., and perhaps reborrowed 16c. from M.L. or M.Fr., which got it from Gmc. Metaphoric extension to "anything which tests character or endurance" is attested from 1658. The prefix or- survives in Eng. only in this word, but was common in O.E. and other Gmc. languages (Goth. ur-, O.N. or-, etc.) and was originally an adv. and prep. meaning "out."
part (n.): c.1000, "part of speech," from O.Fr. part, from L. partem (nom. pars, gen. partis) "part, piece, side, share," related to L. portio "share, portion," from PIE base *per- "to assign, allot" (cf. Gk. peprotai "it has been granted," Skt. purtam "reward," Hittite parshiya- "fraction, part"). It has replaced native deal in most senses. Theatrical sense (1495) is from an actor's "share" in a performance. Meaning "the parting of the hair" is 1890, Amer.Eng.
pass (v.): c.1275 (trans.) "to go by (something)," also "to cross over," from O.Fr. passer, from V.L. *passare "to step, walk, pass," from L. passus "step, pace" (see pace (1)). Intrans. sense of "to go on, to move forward, make one's way" is attested from c.1300. Fig. sense of "to experience, undergo" (as in pass the time) is first recorded 1390. The meaning "to be thought to be something one is not" (esp. in racial sense) is from 1935, from pass oneself off (as), first found 1809. The general verb sense of "to be accepted as equivalent" is from 1596. Sense of "to go through an examination successfully" is from 1429. Meaning "decline to do something" is attested from 1869, originally in cards (euchre). In football, hockey, soccer, etc., the meaning "to transfer the ball or puck to another player" is from c.1865. Colloquial make a pass "offer an amorous advance" first recorded 1928, perhaps from a sporting sense. Pass up "decline, refuse" is attested from 1896. Pass the buck is from 1865, said to be poker slang reference to the buck horn-handled knife that was passed around to signify whose turn it was to deal. Pass the hat "seek contributions" is from 1762. Pass-fail as a grading method is attested from 1959.
ding: 1819, "to sound as metal when struck," possibly abstracted from ding-dong (1659), of imitative origin. The verb meaning "to deal heavy blows" is c.1300, probably from O.N. dengja "to hammer." Meaning "dent" is 1960s. Dinger "something superlative" (e.g. humdinger) is from 1809, Amer.Eng. Ding-a-ling "one who is crazy" is 1935, from notion of hearing bells in the head.
marijuana: 1918, alt. by influence of Sp. proper name Maria Juana "Mary Jane" from mariguan (1894), from Mex.Sp. marihuana, of uncertain origin.
"Marijuana ... makes you sensitive. Courtesy has a great deal to do with being sensitive. Unfortunately marijuana makes you the kind of sensitive where you insist on everyone listening to the drum solo in Iron Butterfly's 'In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida' fifty or sixty times." [P.J. O'Rourke, "Modern Manners," 1983]
market: mid-12c., "a meeting at a fixed time for buying and selling livestock and provisions," from O.N.Fr. market (O.Fr. marchiet, Fr. marché), from L. mercatus "trading, trade, market" (cf. It. mercato, Sp. mercado), from pp. of mercari "to trade, deal in, buy," from merx (gen. mercis) "wares, merchandise," from Italic root *merk-, possibly from Etruscan, referring to various aspects of economics. Meaning "public building or space where markets are held" first attested mid-13c. Sense of "sales, as controlled by supply and demand" is from 1680s. The verb is 1630s, from the noun. Market value (1690s) first attested in writings of John Locke. Market economy is from 1951; market research is from 1926.
nomad: 1555, from M.Fr. nomade, from L. Nomas (gen. Nomadis) "wandering groups in Arabia," from Gk. nomas (gen. nomados, pl. nomades) "roaming, roving, wandering" (to find pastures for flocks or herds), related to nomos "pasture," lit. "land allotted," and to nemein "put to pasture," originally "deal out," from PIE base *nem- "to divide, distribute, allot" (see nemesis).
number: c.1300, "sum, aggregate of a collection," from Anglo-Fr. noumbre, from O.Fr. nombre, from L. numerus "a number, quantity," from PIE base *nem- "to divide, distribute, allot" (related to Gk. nemein "to deal out;" see nemesis). Meaning "symbol or figure of arithmatic value" is from c.1391. The meaning "musical selection" is from vaudeville theater programs, where acts were marked by a number. The verb meaning "to count" is from c.1300. Number one "oneself" is from 1704 (mock-It. form numero uno attested from 1973); the biblical Book of Numbers (c.1400, L. Numeri, Gk. Arithmoi) so called because it begins with a census of the Israelites. No., "abbreviation for 'number,' " is from It. numero. Slang number one and number two for "urinate" and "defecate" attested from 1902. Number cruncher is 1966, of machines; 1971, of persons. To get or have (someone's) number "have someone figured out" is attested from 1853. The numbers "illegal lottery" is from 1897, Amer.Eng.
distribution: late 14c., from L. distributionem, from distribuere "deal out in portions," from dis- "individually" + tribuere "assign, allot."
inwit: M.E. word meaning "conscience" (early 13c.), "reason, intellect" (c.1300), from in (adv.) + wit (n.). Not related to O.E. inwit, which meant "deceit." Joyce's use in "Ulysses" (1922), which echoes the 14c. work "Ayenbite of Inwyt," is perhaps the best-known example of the modern use of the word as a conscious archaism.
"Þese ben also þy fyve inwyttys: Wyl, Resoun, Mynd, Ymaginacioun, and Thoght" [Wyclif, c.1380]
"If ... such good old English words as inwit and wanhope should be rehabilitated (and they have been pushing up their heads for thirty years), we should gain a great deal." [Robert Bridges, 1922]
dole: O.E. dal "sharing, giving out," shortened from gedal "portion," related to dæl "deal," from P.Gmc. *dailiz. Meaning of "charitable portion" (mid-14c.) led to verb "hand out charity" (mid-15c.). On the dole is 1920s. Related: Doled; doling.
shuffle: 1532, probably from M.E. shovelen "to move with dragging feet," probably a freq. form of shoven (see shove). Or perhaps from Low Ger. schuffeln "to walk clumsily, deal dishonestly." Of playing cards, first recorded 1570. The noun is attested from 1628. Phrase lost in the shuffle is from 1930.
boondoggle: 1935, Amer.Eng., of uncertain origin, popularized during the New Deal as a contemptuous word for make-work projects for the unemployed. Said to have been a pioneer word for "gadget."
misdeal (v.): 1746, "to make an error in dealing (cards);" from mis- (1) + deal (v.). The noun is attested from 1850.
treat (v.): c.1300, "negotiate, bargain, deal with," from O.Fr. traitier (12c.), from L. tractare "manage, handle, deal with," originally "drag about," frequentative of trahere (pp. tractus) "to pull, draw" (see tract (1)). Meaning "to entertain with food and drink by way of compliment or kindness (or bribery)" is recorded from c.1500. Sense of "deal with in speech or writing" (early 14c.) led to the use in medicine (1781), "to attempt to heal or cure." The noun is first recorded late 14c., "action of discussing terms;" sense of "a treating with food and drink" (1650s) was extended by 1770 to "anything that gives pleasure." Treatment "conduct, behavior" is recorded from c.1560; in the medical sense, it is first recorded 1744.
treatise: c.1300, from Anglo-Fr. tretiz (c.1250), contracted from O.Fr. traiteiz, from Gallo-Romance *tractaticius, from L. tractare "to deal with" (see treat).
buck (n.1): "male deer," c.1300, earlier "male goat;" from O.E. bucca "male goat," from P.Gmc. *bukkon (cf. M.Du. boc, O.H.G. boc, O.N. bokkr), perhaps from a PIE base *bhugo (cf. Avestan buza "buck, goat," Arm. buc "lamb"), but some speculate that it is from a lost pre-Gmc. language. Barnhart says O.E. buc "male deer" is a "ghost word or scribal error." Meaning "dollar" is 1856, Amer.Eng., perhaps an abbreviation of buckskin, a unit of trade among Indians and Europeans in frontier days, attested in this sense from 1748. Pass the buck is first recorded in the lit. sense 1865, Amer.Eng.:
"The 'buck' is any inanimate object, usually knife or pencil, which is thrown into a jack pot and temporarily taken by the winner of the pot. Whenever the deal reaches the holder of the 'buck', a new jack pot must be made." [J.W. Keller, "Draw Poker," 1887]
The fig. sense of "shift responsibility" is first recorded 1912. Buck private is recorded by 1870s, of uncertain signification.
astronomy: c.1200, from O.Fr. astronomie, from L. astronomia, from Gk. astronomia, lit. "star arrangement," from astron "star" (see astro-) + nomos "arranging, regulating," related to nemein "to deal out" (see numismatics). Used earlier than astrology and originally including it.
mortgage (n.): 1390, from O.Fr. morgage (13c.), mort gaige, lit. "dead pledge" (replaced in modern Fr. by hypothèque), from mort "dead" + gage "pledge;" so called because the deal dies either when the debt is paid or when payment fails. O.Fr. mort is from V.L. *mortus "dead," from L. mortuus, pp. of mori "to die" (see mortal). The verb is first attested 1467.
shake (n.): c.1380, from shake (v.). As a type of instantaneous action, it is recorded from 1816. Phrase fair shake "honest deal" is attested from 1830, Amer.Eng. The shakes "nervous agitation" is from 1624. Shakeout "business upheaval" is from 1895; shake-up "reorganization" is from 1899. Dismissive phrase no great shakes (1816) perhaps is from dicing.
tackle (v.): mid-14c., "entangle, involve," from tackle (n.). Sense of "to furnish (a ship) with tackles" is from c.1400; meaning "to harness a horse" is recorded from 1714. The meaning "lay hold of, come to grips with, attack" is attested from 1828, described by Webster that year as "a common popular use of the word in New England, though not elegant;" fig. sense of "try to deal with" (a task or problem) is from 1840. The verb in the sporting sense first recorded 1884.
somewhat: c.1200, "a certain amount, to a certain degree," from some + what. Replaced O.E. sumdæl, sume dæle "somewhat, some portion," lit. "some deal."
competence: 1632, "sufficiency of means for living at ease," from Fr. compétence, from L. competentia "meeting together, agreement, symmetry," from competens, prp. of competere (see compete). Meaning "sufficiency to deal with what is at hand" is from 1790.
customer: 14c., "customs official;" later "buyer" (early 15c.), from Anglo-Fr. custumer, from M.L. custumarius, from L. consuetudinarius (see custom). More generalized meaning "a person with whom one has dealings" emerged 1540s; that of "a person to deal with" (usually wth an adjective, tough, etc.) is by 1580s. In Shakespeare, the word also can mean "prostitute."
big deal: from mid-19c. in poker or business; as an ironic expression, popular in Amer.Eng. from c.1965, perhaps a translated Yiddishism (cf. a groyser kunst).