played | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

164 entries found.

"droning instrument played with a crank," 1749, perhaps imitative of the sound of the instrument and influenced by c. 1500 hirdy-girdy "uproar, confusion." Originally a type of drone-lute played by turning a wheel.

taps (n.)

U.S. military signal for lights out in soldiers' quarters (played 15 minutes after tattoo), 1824, from tap (v.), on the notion of drum taps (it originally was played on a drum, later on a bugle). As a soldier's last farewell, played over his grave, it may date to the American Civil War. The tune was revised several times in mid-19c.

quoits (n.)

"game played by throwing quoits," late 14c., coytes; see quoit.

cards (n.)

"a game played with cards," mid-15c., from plural of card (n.1).

dead-march (n.)

"piece of solemn music played at funerals," c. 1600, from dead + march (n.1).

virginals (n.)

"small harpsichord," 1520s, evidently from virgin, but the connection is unclear, unless it means "an instrument played by girls."

badminton (n.)

outdoor game similar to lawn tennis but played with a shuttlecock, 1874, from Badminton House, name of Gloucestershire estate of the Duke of Beaufort, where the game first was played in England, mid-19c., having been picked up by British officers from Indian poona. The place name is Old English Badimyncgtun (972), "estate of (a man called) Baduhelm."

penny-ante (adj.)

"cheap, trivial," 1935; extended from use in reference to poker played for insignificant stakes (1855), from penny + ante.

buzkashi (n.)

Afghan sport, a sort of mounted polo played with a goat carcass, 1956, from Persian buz "goat" + kashi "dragging, drawing."

play-list (n.)

also playlist, 1975, "list of recordings to be played on the air by a radio station," from play (v.) + list (n.1).

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