- range (n.)
- c.1300, "row or line of persons" (esp. hunters or soldiers), from O.Fr. range "range, rank," from rangier "to place in a row, arrange," from reng "row, line" (see rank (n.)). Meaning "row of mountains" is from 1705. Meaning "scope, extent" first recorded 1666; that of "area over which animals seek food" is from 1626, from the verb meaning "move over a large area" (1477). Specific U.S. sense of "series of townships six miles in width" is from 1785. Sense of "distance a gun can send a bullet" is recorded from 1591; meaning "place used for shooting practice" is from 1862. The verb sense of "to arrange in rows" is recorded from 1375. The cooking appliance so called since 1446, for unknown reasons. Rangy is 1868, "adapted for ranging;" the meaning "having a long, slender form" (as an animal suited to ranging) is from 1876.