- share (n.1)
- "portion," Old English scearu "a cutting, shearing, division," related to sceran "to cut," from Proto-Germanic *skaro- (cf. Old High German scara "troop, share of forced labor," German Schar "troop, band," properly "a part of an army," Old Norse skör "rim"), from PIE root *sker- "to cut" (see shear). Meaning "part of the capital of a joint stock company" is first attested c.1600.
- share (n.2)
- "iron blade of a plow," Old English scear, scær "plowshare," prop. "that which cuts," from Proto-Germanic *skar- (cf. Old Frisian skere, Middle Low German schar, Old High German scar, German Schar, Dutch ploegschaar, Middle High German pfluocschar), from PIE root *(s)ker- "to cut" (see shear).
- share (v.)
- 1580s, to apportion to someone as his share," from share (n.1). Meaning "to divide one's own and give part to others" is recorded from 1590s. Related: Shared; sharing.