"uttering a low, murmuring sound expressive of satisfaction or pleasure, as a cat," 1610s, of imitative origin. Related: Purred; purring. As a noun, "sound made by a purring cat," from c. 1600. A similar imitative word, curr "make a low murmuring sound, purr" (1670s), was used of doves and cats.
"depressed at heart, low-spirited," 1580s, past-participle adjective from deject. Related: Dejectedly; dejectedness.
"to bite gently; eat by gnawing off small bits," c. 1500, not found in Middle English; perhaps from Low German nibbeln "to nibble, gnaw," related to Middle Low German nibbelen, Middle Dutch knibbelen "to gnaw," source of Dutch knibbelen "to cavail, squabble." Related: Nibbled; nibbling.
c. 1500, of horns, ultimately imitative, also found in Middle Low German and Low German tuten "blow a horn." Related: Tooted; tooting. Tooting as a strong affirmative (as in you're damned tootin') is attested from 1932, American English. Reduplicated form rootin' tootin' "noisy, rambunctious" is recorded by 1924.
1610s, "cause to make a sharp, hard, metallic sound," perhaps echoic, perhaps a blend of clang (v.) and clink (v.), perhaps from a Low German source (compare Middle Dutch clank, Dutch klank, Old High German klanc, Middle Low German klank, German Klang). Intransitive sense "give out a clank" is from 1650s.
"ship's berth, any structure in or upon which a ship may be held for loading, repairing, etc.," late 15c., dokke, from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German docke, which is perhaps ultimately (via Late Latin *ductia "aqueduct") from Latin ducere "to lead" (from PIE root *deuk- "to lead"); or possibly from a Scandinavian word for "low ground" (compare Norwegian dokk "hollow, low ground"). The original sense was perhaps "furrow a grounded vessel makes in a mud bank."
"native of Sweden," 1610s, from Low German, from Middle Low German Swede, from a source akin to Old English Sweoðeod, literally "Swede-people," from Sweon (plural) "Swedes" (Old Norse, Old Swedish Sviar), called by the Romans Suiones, probably from Proto-Germanic *sweba "free, independent," or else from *geswion "kinsman."
