tolerate | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

15 entries found.

1530s, of authorities, "to allow without interference," from Latin toleratus, past participle of tolerare (see toleration). Related: Tolerated; tolerating.

no-nonsense (adj.)

"not tolerating foolishness, practical," by 1912, from the phrase to stand no nonsense "tolerate no foolishness or extravagant conduct," which is attested from 1821, originally in sporting slang.

tolerable (adj.)

early 15c., "bearable," from Old French tolerable (14c.) and directly from Latin tolerabilis "that may be endured, supportable, passable," from tolerare "to tolerate" (see toleration). Meaning "moderate, middling, not bad" is recorded from 1540s. Related: Tolerably.

support (v.)

late 14c., "to aid," also "to hold up, prop up, put up with, tolerate," from Old French suporter "to bear, endure, sustain, support" (14c.), from Latin supportare "convey, carry, bring up, bring forward," from assimilated form of sub "up from under" (see sub-) + portare "to carry," from PIE root *per- (2) "to lead, pass over." Related: Supported; supporting.

stomach (v.)

"tolerate, put up with," 1570s, from stomach (n.), probably in reference to digestion; earlier sense was opposite: "to be offended at, resent" (1520s), echoing Latin stomachari "to be resentful, be irritated, be angry," from stomachus (n.) in its secondary sense of "pride, indignation." Related: Stomached; stomaching.

tolerant (adj.)

1784, "free from bigotry or severity in judging others," from French tolérant (16c.), and directly from Latin tolerantem (nominative tolerans), present participle of tolerare "to bear, endure, tolerate" (see toleration). Meaning "able to bear (something) without being affected" is from 1879. Related: Tolerantly.

forbear (v.)

"to abstain," Old English forberan "bear up against, control one's feelings, abstain from, refrain; tolerate, endure" (past tense forbær, past participle forboren), from for- + beran "to bear" (see bear (v.)). Related: Forbearer; forbearing; forbore. Of similar formation are Old High German ferberen, Gothic frabairan "to endure."

suffer (v.)

mid-13c., "allow to occur or continue, permit, tolerate, fail to prevent or suppress," also "to be made to undergo, endure, be subjected to" (pain, death, punishment, judgment, grief), from Anglo-French suffrir, Old French sofrir "bear, endure, resist; permit, tolerate, allow" (Modern French souffrir), from Vulgar Latin *sufferire, variant of Latin sufferre "to bear, undergo, endure, carry or put under," from sub "up, under" (see sub-) + ferre "to carry, bear," from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry," also "to bear children."

Replaced Old English þolian, þrowian. Meaning "submit meekly to" is from early 14c. Meaning "undergo, be subject to, be affected by, experience; be acted on by an agent" is from late 14c. Related: Suffered; sufferer; suffering. Suffering ______! as an exclamation is attested from 1859.

For ye suffre foles gladly because that ye youreselves are wyse. [II Corinthians vi in Tyndale, 1526]

tolerance (n.)

early 15c., "endurance, fortitude" (in the face of pain, hardship, etc.), from Old French tolerance (14c.), from Latin tolerantia "a bearing, supporting, endurance," from tolerans, present participle of tolerare "to bear, endure, tolerate" (see toleration). Of individuals, with the sense "tendency to be free from bigotry or severity in judging other," from 1765. Meaning "allowable amount of variation" dates from 1868; and physiological sense of "ability to take large doses" first recorded 1875.

brook (v.)

"to endure," Old English brucan "to use, enjoy the use of, possess; eat; cohabit with," from Proto-Germanic *brukjanan "to make use of, enjoy" (source also of Old Saxon brukan, Old Frisian bruka "to use, practice," Dutch gebruiken "to use," Old High German bruhhan, German brauchen "to use, need," Gothic brukjan), from PIE root *bhrug- "to enjoy." Sense of "use" as applied to food led to "be able to digest," and by 16c. to "endure, tolerate," always in a negative sense. The original meanings have become obsolete.

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