Middle English overriden, from Old English oferridan "to ride across, ride through or over," from ofer "over" (see over) + ridan "to ride" (see ride (v.)). Originally literal, of cavalry, etc. Figurative meaning "to set aside arrogantly" is by 1827, from the notion of "to trample down," hence "supersede." The mechanical sense "to suspend automatic operation" is attested from 1946. As a noun in the sense "act or process of suspending automatic operation," from 1946. Related: Overrode; overriding; overridden.
And þanne þeze Frenschmen come prikkyng doun as þei wolde haue ouyr-rydyn alle oure meyne; but God and our archers made hem sone to stomble. [Layamon, from the description of the Battle of Agincourt in "The Brut, or The Chronicles of England"]
1590s, former Spanish gold coin (not so called in Spanish), from French pistole, from Italian piastola, diminutive of piastra "plate or leaf of metal" (see piaster) and said to be so called for being smaller and thinner than the Crown. Compare earlier pistolet (1550s) "foreign coin," which OED says is from French pistolet "short firearm" (see pistol).
early 15c., "of or pertaining to tools and their use," from mechanic (adj.) + -al (1). By 1570s as "of or pertaining to machines and their use." Of persons or human actions, "resembling machines, automatic, lacking spirit or spontaneity," from c. 1600. Scientific sense of "of or pertaining to the material forces of nature acting on inanimate bodies," from 1620s. Related: Mechanically. Mechanical-minded is recorded from 1820.
1701, "the science of sound-signs, representation of vocal sounds," from phono- "sound, voice" + -graphy "writing, recording." From 1840 as "representation of words as they are pronounced," specifically in reference to Pitman's system of shorthand by phonetic writing. By 1861 as "the automatic recording of sounds" by a phonautograph, later "recording or reproduction of sounds by a phonograph" (1880s).
"leather case for a pistol," 1660s, probably from Old English heolster, earlier helustr "concealment, hiding place," from Proto-Germanic *hulfti- (source also of Old High German hulft "cover, case, sheath," Old Norse hulstr "case, sheath," Middle Dutch holster, German Halfter "holster"), from PIE root *kel- (1) "to cover, conceal, save." Intermediate forms are wanting, and the modern word could as well be from the Norse or Dutch cognates.
1570s, cartage, "case of cardboard, tin, etc., holding a charge of gunpowder" (also with the bullet or shot in firearms), corruption of French cartouche "a full charge for a pistol," originally wrapped in paper (16c.), from Italian cartoccio "roll of paper," an augmentative form of Medieval Latin carta "paper" (see card (n.1)). The notion is of a roll of paper containing a charge for a firearm. The modern form of the English word is recorded from 1620s. Extended broadly 20c. to other small containers and their contents. Cartridge-belt , worn around the waist or over the shoulder and having pockets or loops for cartridges, is by 1832.
several words, probably unrelated, including: 1. "pendant point of cloth on a garment," late 14c., of uncertain origin; 2. "thin rain, drizzle, wet fog," Scottish, late 17c., from a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse dögg, plural daggir "dew," from Proto-Germanic *daowo- (source of Old English deaw; see dew); 3. "kind of heavy pistol," 1560s, of uncertain origin; 4. "clot of dirty wool about the rear end of a sheep," 1731; 5. "tough but amusing person," Australian and New Zealand slang, 1916.
1640s, "small number of military men detailed for some purpose," from French esquade, from French escadre, from Spanish escuadra or Italian squadra "battalion," literally "square," from Vulgar Latin *exquadra "to square," from Latin ex "out" (see ex-) + quadrare "make square," from quadrus "a square" (from PIE root *kwetwer- "four"). Before the widespread use of of automatic weapons, infantry troops tended to fight in a square formation to repel cavalry or superior forces. Extended to sports 1902, police work 1905.
partly from Old English epistol and in part directly from Old French epistle, epistre (Modern French épitre), from Latin epistola "a letter," from Greek epistole "message, letter, command, commission," whether verbal or in writing, from epistellein "send to, send as a message or letter," from epi "to" (see epi-) + stellein in its secondary sense of "to dispatch, send," from PIE *stel-yo-, suffixed form of root *stel- "to put, stand, put in order," with derivatives referring to a standing object or place. Also acquired in Old English directly from Latin as pistol. Specific sense of "letter from an apostle forming part of canonical scripture" is c. 1200.
