- mattock
- O.E. męttoc, probably from V.L. *matteuca "club," related to L. mateola, a kind of mallet (see mace (1)), but this is not certain, and synonymous Rus. motyka, Lith. matikkas suggest other possibilities.
- mace (1)
- "heavy metal weapon with a spiked head," c.1300, from O.Fr. mace "a club, scepter," from V.L. *mattea (cf. It. mazza, Sp. maza "mace"), from L. mateola "a kind of mallet." The L. word probably is cognate with Skt. matyam "harrow, club," O.C.S. motyka "mattock," O.H.G. medela "plow."
- hoe
- 1363, from O.Fr. houe (12c.), from Frank. *hauwa (cf. O.H.G. houwa "hoe, mattock, pick-axe"), related to O.E. heawan "to cut" (see hew). The verb is first recorded c.1430. Hoe-cake, 1745, Amer.Eng., was said originally to have been baked on the broad thin blade of a cotton-field hoe. Hoedown "noisy dance" first recorded 1841, probably from perceived parallel of dance motions to those of farm chores.
"As to dancing, no Long-Island negro could shuffle you 'double trouble,' or 'hoe corn and dig potatoes' more scientifically." [Washington Irving, "Salmagundi," March 7, 1807]
- section
- 1559, from M.Fr. section, from L. sectionem (nom. sectio) "a cutting, cutting off, division," from sectus, pp. of secare "to cut," from PIE base *sek- "cut" (cf. O.C.S. seko, sesti "to cut," secivo "ax, hatchet;" Lith. isekti "to engrave, carve;" Alb. sate "mattock;" O.S. segasna, O.E. sigše "scythe;" O.E. secg "sword," seax "knife, short sword;" O.Ir. doescim "I cut;" L. saxum "rock, stone"). Sectional "piece of furniture composed of sections which can be used separately" is recorded from 1961.