keep one's shirt on | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

6891 entries found.

generic term for "Nazi, fascist," especially of the thuggish sort, 1934, originally (1922) in reference to the German Sturmabteilung ("Storm Detachment"), Nazi party militia founded 1921; they were called Brown Shirts in English because of their uniforms.

Black Shirt (n.)

also blackshirt, 1922, member of Fasci di Combattimento, Italian paramilitary unit founded 1919 by Mussolini; so called for their uniforms.

clip-on (adj.)

"held on by means of a clip," 1909, from the verbal phrase; see clip (v.2) + on (adv.).

hang on (v.)

1860, "to remain clinging," 1860, especially "cling fondly to" (1871); see hang (v.) + on (adv.). As a command to be patient, wait a minute, from 1936, originally in telephone conversations.

hard-on (n.)

"penile erection," 1922, earlier as an adjective (1893), from hard + on.

head-on (adv.)

1840, from head (n.) + on.

add-on (n.)

"additional component," 1941, from verbal phrase add on; see add (v.) + on (adv.).

walk-on (n.)

"minor non-speaking role," 1902, theatrical slang, from the verbal phrase walk on, attested in theater jargon by 1897 with a sense "appear in crowd scenes," from walk (v.) + on (adv.). Meaning "actor who has such a part" is attested from 1946. The sports team sense is recorded from 1974.

on-site (adj.)

also onsite, 1959, from on + site. Originally in reference to Cold War military inspections.

put-on (n.)

"ruse, deception," 1937, from earlier adjectival meaning "assumed, feigned" (1620s), a figurative extension of the verbal phrase on the notion of putting on costumes or disguises. To put on (v.), of clothes, garments, etc., is by early 15c.; see from put (v.) + on (adv.). Hence "clothe, cover, assume as covering" (mid-15c.) and "assume the garb or appearance of" (real or feigned), 1520s. The expression put (someone) on "play a trick on, deceive" (by 1958) seems to be a back-formation from the noun.

Page 2

Trending words