"ardent desire, improper or illicit desire, lustful feeling," mid-14c., from Old French concupiscence and directly from Late Latin concupiscentia "eager desire," from present-participle stem of Latin concupiscere, inceptive of concupere "to be very desirous of," from assimilated form of com-, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see com-), + cupere "to long for" (see cupidity). Used in Vulgate to translate Greek epithymia.

c. 1200, fresh, also fersh, "unsalted; pure; sweet; eager;" the modern form is a metathesis of Old English fersc, of water, "not salt, unsalted," itself transposed from Proto-Germanic *friskaz (source also of Old Frisian fersk, Middle Dutch versch, Dutch vers, Old High German frisc, German frisch "fresh"). Probably cognate with Old Church Slavonic presinu "fresh," Lithuanian preskas "sweet."

Sense of "new, recent" is from c. 1300; that of "not stale or worn" is from early 14c.; of memories from mid-14c. The metathesis, and the expanded Middle English senses of "new," "pure," "eager" probably are by influence of (or from) Old French fres (fem. fresche; Modern French frais "fresh, cool"), which is from Proto-Germanic *frisko-, and thus related to the English word. The Germanic root also is the source of Italian and Spanish fresco. Related: Freshly. Fresh pursuit in law is pursuit of the wrong-doer while the crime is fresh.

1520s, "to chew noisily, crunch;" 1570s (of horses) "to bite repeatedly and impatiently," probably echoic; OED suggests a connection with jam (v.). Earlier also cham, chamb, etc. (late 14c.). To champ on (or at) the bit, as an eager horse will, is attested in the figurative sense by 1640s. Related: Champed; champing. As a noun, "act of biting repeatedly, action of champing," from c. 1600.

c. 1300, of persons, "valiant, brave, full of courage," also "desirous," from Anglo-French corageous, Old French corageus, corajos "eager, spirited, brave," also "capricious, inconstant" (12c., Modern French courageux), both on the notion of "following one's inner impulses," from corage "heart, innermost feelings; temper" (see courage). Of actions, speech, etc., "manifesting courage," by 1795. Related: Courageously; courageousness.

1670s, "an eager, rude contest or struggle" with others for something or a chance of something, from scramble (v.). Meaning "a walk or ramble involving clambering and struggling with obstacles" is from 1755. Meaning "a rapid take-off" of an aircraft group is attested from 1940, R.A.F. slang, transitive and intransitive. In U.S. football, as a quarterback's move to avoid tacklers, by 1971. Middle English had scramblement (mid-15c.).

"passionate ardor in pursuit of an objective or course of action," late 14c., from Old French zel (Modern French zèle) and directly from Late Latin zelus "zeal, emulation" (source also of Italian zelo, Spanish celo), a Church word, from Greek zēlos "ardor, eager rivalry, emulation," "a noble passion" [Liddell & Scott], but also "jealousy;" from PIE *ya- "to seek, request, desire." From mid-15c. as "devotion."

"characterized by great effort," mid-15c. (implied in strenuously), from Latin strenuus "active, brisk, quick, nimble, prompt, vigorous, keen." Probably cognate with Greek strēnes, strēnos "keen, strong," strenos "arrogance, eager desire," Old English stierne "hard, severe, keen" (see stern (adj.)). Mocked by Ben Jonson as a pedantic neologism in "Poetaster" (1601). Sense of "requiring much energy" is first recorded 1670s. Related: Strenuousness; strenuosity.