clockwise | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

4 entries found.

also clock-wise, "in the direction of the rotation of the hands of a clock," 1879, from clock (n.1) + wise (n.).

"contrary to the direction of rotation of the hands of a clock," 1870, also counter-clockwise; from counter- + clockwise. British English anti-clockwise is attested from 1879.

wise (n.)

"way of proceeding, manner," Old English wise "way, fashion, custom, habit, manner; condition, state, circumstance," from Proto-Germanic *wison "appearance, form, manner" (see wise (adj.)). Compare Old Saxon wisa, Old Frisian wis, Danish vis, Middle Dutch wise, Dutch wijs, Old High German wisa, German Weise "way, manner." Most common in English now as a word-forming element (as in likewise, clockwise); the adverbial -wise has been used thus since Old English. For sense evolution from "to see" to "way of proceeding," compare cognate Greek eidos "form, shape, kind," also "course of action." Ground sense is "to see/know the way."

deasil (adj.)

"right-hand-wise, turned toward the right; clockwise," 1771, from Gaelic deiseil, deiseal (adjective and adverb) "toward the south," taken in sense of "toward the right," from deas "right, right-hand; south," cognate with Irish deas, Old Irish dess, des, Welsh dehau, and ultimately with Latin dexter, from PIE root *deks- "right; south." The second element of the Gaelic word is not explained (one old guess, in the Century Dictionary, is a proposed *iul "direction, guidance").

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