Etymology
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sod (n.1)

"turf, slice of earth with grass on it," mid-15c., apparently from Middle Dutch sode "turf," or Middle Low German sode, both related to Old Frisian satha "sod," all of uncertain origin. Perhaps the notion is water saturation and the group is related to sog. The (old) sod "Ireland" is from 1812.

sod (n.2)

term of abuse, 1818, short for sodomite (also see sodomy). British colloquial sod-all "nothing" is attested from 1958.

sod (v.1)

c. 1400, "to cover with sod," from sod (n.). Related: Sodded; sodding.

sod (v.2)

in sod off (1960), British slang term of dismissal; see sod (n.2).

Entries linking to sod

sog (n.)

"soft or marshy place," 1530s, of unknown origin. Also as a verb, "to become soaked; to soak" (mid-15c.), perhaps related to soak (v.) or from or related to similar words in Scandinavian.

sodomite (n.)

late 14c., from Old French Sodomite "inhabitant of Sodom; sodomite," also a general term of abuse, or directly from Late Latin Sodomita, from Greek Sodomites "inhabitant of Sodom" (see Sodom, also sodomy). Related: Sodomitical. Old English had adjective sodomitisc. The King James Bible (1611) has fem. form sodomitesse in a marginal note to "whore" in Deuteronomy xxiii.17.

updated on October 25, 2013

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Dictionary entries near sod

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sockdolager

socket

Socratic

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soda

sodality

sodbuster

sodden

sodium

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