inflict | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

32 entries found.

1560s, "assail, trouble;" 1590s, "lay or impose as something that must be suffered," from Latin inflictus, past participle of infligere "to strike or dash against; inflict," from in- "in" (from PIE root *en "in") + fligere (past participle flictus) "to dash, strike" (see afflict). You inflict trouble on someone; you afflict someone with trouble. Shame on you.

self-inflicted (adj.)

"inflicted by or on oneself," 1784; see self- + inflict. Related: Self-infliction.

infliction (n.)

1530s, "act of inflicting;" 1580s, "that which is inflicted," from French infliction (15c.), or directly from Late Latin inflictionem (nominative inflictio) "an inflicting, a striking against," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin infligere "to strike or dash against" (see inflict).

*en

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "in."

It forms all or part of: and; atoll; dysentery; embargo; embarrass; embryo; empire; employ; en- (1) "in; into;" en- (2) "near, at, in, on, within;" enclave; endo-; enema; engine; enoptomancy; enter; enteric; enteritis; entero-; entice; ento-; entrails; envoy; envy; episode; esoteric; imbroglio; immolate; immure; impede; impend; impetus; important; impostor; impresario; impromptu; in; in- (2) "into, in, on, upon;" inchoate; incite; increase; inculcate; incumbent; industry; indigence; inflict; ingenuous; ingest; inly; inmost; inn; innate; inner; innuendo; inoculate; insignia; instant; intaglio; inter-; interim; interior; intern; internal; intestine; intimate (adj.) "closely acquainted, very familiar;" intra-; intricate; intrinsic; intro-; introduce; introduction; introit; introspect; invert; mesentery.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit antara- "interior;" Greek en "in," eis "into," endon "within;" Latin in "in, into," intro "inward," intra "inside, within;" Old Irish in, Welsh yn, Old Church Slavonic on-, Old English in "in, into," inne "within, inside."

punish (v.)

c. 1300, punishen, "inflict a penalty on," from Old French puniss-, extended present-participle stem of punir "to punish," from Latin punire "punish, correct, chastise; take vengeance for; inflict a penalty on, cause pain for some offense," earlier poenire, from poena "penalty, punishment" (see penal). Colloquial meaning "to inflict heavy damage or loss" is recorded from 1801, originally in pugilism. Related: Punished; punishing.

carpet-bombing (n.)

"the dropping of a large number of bombs on an entire area to inflict intense damage," 1945, from carpet (v.) + bomb (v.). Related: Carpet-bomb; carpet-bombed.

worst (v.)

"damage, inflict loss upon," c. 1600, from worst (adj.). Meaning "defeat in argument" is from 1650s. Related: Worsted; worsting.

revengeful (adj.)

"vindictive, full of desire to inflict injury or pain for wrongs received," 1580s; see revenge (n.) + -ful. Related: Revengefully; revengefulness.

enjoin (v.)

c. 1200, engoinen, "to prescribe, impose" (penance, etc.), from stem of Old French enjoindre (12c.) "impose (on), inflict; subject to; assign (to)," from Latin iniungere "to join, fasten, attach;" figuratively "to inflict, to attack, impose," from in- "on" (from PIE root *en "in") + iungere "to join together" (from nasalized form of PIE root *yeug- "to join"). Related: Enjoined; enjoining.

deterrence (n.)

1788, "act of deterring; that which deters;" see deterrent + -ence. In a Cold War context (1955), "the strategy of demonstrating the will to inflict punitive damage in hopes of convincing the enemy to refrain from an action." Out of it naturally grew the concept of assured destruction.

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