A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

sheet (1) --- O.E. sciete (W.Saxon), scete (Mercian) "cloth, covering," from P.Gmc. *skautijon, from base *skauta- "project" (cf. O.N. skaut "corner of cloth," Goth. skauts "seam, hem of a garment;" Du. schoot Ger. Schoß "bosom, lap"), from PIE base *skeud- "to shoot, chase, throw" (see shoot). Sense of "piece of paper" first recorded 1510; that of "any broad, flat surface" (of metal, open water, etc.) is from 1592. Of falling rain from 1697. Meaning "a newspaper" is first recorded 1749. Sheet lightning is attested from 1794; sheet music is from 1857. Between the sheets "in bed" (usually with sexual overtones) is attested from 1599; to be white as a sheet is from 1751.

sheet (2) --- rope that controls a sail, O.E. sceatline "sheet-line," from sceata "lower part of sail," originally "piece of cloth," from same root as sheet (1) (q.v.). The sense transferred to the rope by 1294. This is probably the notion in phrase three sheets to the wind "drunk and disorganized," first recorded 1821, an image of a sloop-rigged sailboat whose three sheets have slipped through the blocks are lost to the wind, thus out of control.

Sheffield --- manufacturing city in Yorkshire, noted for cutlery and metalwork since at least 14c. The name is from late O.E. Scafeld "Open Land by the River Sheaf," an O.E. river name, from sceath "boundary."

sheik --- head of an Arab family, also "head of a Muslim religious order," 1577, from Arabic shaykh "chief," lit. "old man," from base of shakha "to grow old." Popularized by "The Sheik," novel in Arabian setting by E.M. Hull (1919), and movie version "The Sheikh," 1921, starring Rudolph Valentino, which gave it a 1920s sense of "strong, romantic lover."

Sheila --- fem. proper name, Ir. equivalent of Celia, shortened form of Cecilia (see Cecil). A standard type of an Ir. women's name since 1828; slang for "girlfriend, young woman" dates from 1839.

shekel --- c.1225, sicle, via O.Fr. and L. from Heb. sheqel, from shaqal "he weighed." Chief silver coin of ancient Hebrews, also a unit of weight. Modern form in Eng. dates from 1560. As slang for "money," it dates from 1871.

sheldrake --- c.1325, from sheld- "variegated" + drake "male duck." First element cognate with M.Du. schillede, W.Flem. schilde, from schillen (Du. verschillen "to make different"), from P.Gmc. *skeli-, from PIE base *(s)kel- "to cut." This is considered the most likely origin, though Eng. sheld by itself is a dialect word attested only from 1508.

shelf --- c.1386, from M.L.G. schelf "shelf, set of shelves," or from O.E. cognate scylfe "shelf, ledge, floor," and scylf "peak, pinnacle," from P.Gmc. *skelf-, *skalf- "split," possibly from the notion of a split piece of wood (cf. O.N. skjölf "bench"), from PIE base *(s)kel- "to cut, cleave" (cf. L. sculpere "to carve"). Shelf life first recorded 1927. Phrase on the shelf "out of the way, inactive" is attested from 1575. Continental shelf first attested 1892.

shell (n.) --- O.E. sciell, scill, Anglian scell "seashell, eggshell," related to O.E. scealu "shell, husk," from P.Gmc. *skaljo "divide, separate" (cf. W.Fris. skyl "peel, rind," M.L.G. schelle "pod, rind, egg shell," Goth. skalja "tile"), with the notion of "covering that splits off," from PIE base *(s)kel- "to cut, cleave" (cf. O.C.S. skolika "shell," Rus. skala "bark"). Sense of "mere exterior" is from 1652; that of "hollow framework" is from 1791. Meaning "structure for a band or orchestra" is attested from 1938. Military use (1644) was first of hand grenades, in ref. to the metal case in which the gunpowder and shot were mixed; shell shock first recorded 1915. Shell game "a swindle" is from 1890, from a version of three-card monte played with a pea and walnut shells. Shellfish is from O.E. scylfiscas (pl.).

shell (v.) --- 1562, "to remove (a nut, etc.) from a shell," from shell (v.). The meaning "to bombard with shells is first attested 1856. To shell out "disburse" (1801) is a fig. use from the image of extracting nuts.

shellac --- 1713, from shell + lac (see lacquer). Translates Fr. laque en écailles "lac in thin plates." The verb is 1876, from the noun. The slang sense of "beat soundly" is 1920s, perhaps from the notion of shellac as a "finish." Shellacked "drunk" is from 1922 (cf. plastered).

shelta --- secret language of Ir. tinkers, 1876, of unknown origin. It mostly consists of Ir. or Gael. words, with inversion or arbitrary substitution of initial consonants.

shelter --- 1585, "structure affording protection," possibly an alteration of M.E. sheltron, sheldtrume "roof or wall formed by locked shields," from O.E. scyldtruma, from scield "shield" (see shield) + truma "troop," related to O.E. trum "firm, strong" (see trim). The notion is of a compact body of men protected by interlocking shields. Fig. sense is recorded from 1588; meaning "temporary lodging for homeless poor" is first recorded 1890 in Salvation Army jargon; sense of "temporary home for animals" is from 1971. The verb is first attested 1590; in the income investment sense, from 1955. Sheltered "protected from the usual hardships of life" is from 1888.

Sheltie --- small pony, 1650, "Shetland pony," from Shelty, abbreviation of Sheltand, metathesis of Shetland. Or the word may represent the Orkney pronunciation of O.N. Hjalti "Shetlander."

shelve --- 1591, "to overhang," back formation from shelves, plural of shelf. Meaning "put on a shelf" first recorded 1655; metaphoric sense of "lay aside, dismiss" is from 1812. Meaning "to slope gradually" (1614) is from M.E. shelven "to slope," from shelfe "grassy slope," related to shelf.

she-male --- early 19c. U.S. colloquial, "a female," from she + male.

Shenandoah --- originally a place name in Dutchess County, N.Y., from Oneida (Iroquoian) family name Skenondoah, derived from oskenon:to "deer." Later transfered to river and valley in Virginia.

shenanigan --- 1855, of uncertain origin. Earliest records of it are in San Francisco and Sacramento, Calif. Suggestions include Sp. chanada, a shortened form of charranada "trick, deceit," or, less likely, Ger. Schenigelei, peddler's argot for "work, craft," or the related Ger. slang verb schinäglen. Another guess centers on Ir. sionnach "fox."

Sheol --- 1599, from Heb., lit. "the underworld, Hades," of unknown origin. Used in R.V. in place of Hell in many passages.

shepherd (n.) --- O.E. sceaphierde, from sceap "sheep" + hierde "herder," from heord "a herd" (see herd). Cf. M.L.G., M.Du. schaphirde, M.H.G. schafhirte, Ger. dial. schafhirt. Shepherds customarily were buried with a tuft of wool in hand, to prove their occupation on Doomsday and be excused for often missing Sunday church. The metaphoric verbal sense of "watch over or guide" is first recorded 1820. Shepherd's pie is recorded from 1877.

Sheraton --- severe style of late 18c. Eng. furniture, 1883, from cabinetmaker Thomas Sheraton (1751-1806). The family name is from a place in Durham, late O.E. Scurufatun (c.1040), probably "farmstead of a man called Skurfa" (an old Scand. personal name).

sherbet --- 1603, zerbet, "drink made from diluted fruit juice and sugar," from Turk. serbet, from Pers. sharbat, from Arabic sharba(t) "a drink," from shariba "he drank." Related to syrup.

sheriff --- late O.E. scirgerefa "representative of royal authority in a shire," from scir (see shire) + gerefa "chief, official, reeve" (see reeve). In Anglo-Saxon England, the representative of royal authority in a shire. As an American county official, attested from 1662; sheriff's sale first recorded 1798.

Sherlock --- masc. proper name, lit. "fair-haired," from O.E. scir "bright" + locc "lock of hair." Slang for "private detective, perceptive person" (the latter often ironic) is attested from 1903, from A.C. Doyle's fictional character Sherlock Holmes.

Sherman --- type of U.S. medium tank used in World War II, 1942, named for U.S. Civil War Gen. William T. Sherman (1820-91). The surname is from O.E. scearra "shears" + mann "man;" hence "shearer of woolen garments."

Sherpa --- 1847, from Tibetan, lit. "dweller in an eastern country."

sherry --- kind of white wine, 1608, mistaken singular from sherris (1540), from Sp. vino de Xeres "wine from Xeres," modern Jerez (L. urbs Caesaris), near the port of Cadiz, where the wine was made.

Shetland --- group of islands north of Scotland, from O.N. Hjaltland; in ref. to a type of pony, 1801; as a breed of sheep, 1794.

shewbread --- 1530, Tyndale's word (Exodus xxv:30), influenced by Ger. schaubrot (in Luther), lit. "show-bread," translating L. panes propositiones, from Gk. artai enopioi, from Heb. lechem panim, the 12 loaves placed every Sabbath "before the Lord" on a table beside the altar of incense, from lechem "bread" + panim "face, presence." O.E. translations used offring-hlafas.

Shia --- 1626, a collective name for one of the two great Muslim sects (see Shiite). This is the proper use, but it commonly is used to mean "a Shiite." In Arabic, shi'ah is the name of the sect, shiya'iy is a member of the sect.

shiatsu --- 1967, from Japanese, lit. "finger-pressure."

shibboleth --- 1382, the Heb. word shibboleth "flood, stream," also "ear of corn," in Judges xii:4-6. It was the password used by the Gileadites to distinguish their own men from fleeing Ephraimites, because Ephraimites could not pronounce the -sh- sound. Figurative sense of "watchword" is first recorded 1638, and it evolved by 1862 to "outmoded slogan still adhered to." A similar test-word was cicera "chick pease," used by the Italians to identify the French (who could not pronounce it correctly) during the massacre called the Sicilian Vespers (1282).

shield --- O.E. scield, scild, related to sciell (see shell), from P.Gmc. *skeldus (cf. O.N. skjöldr, O.S. skild, M.Du. scilt, Du. schild, Ger. Schild, Goth. skildus), from base *skel- "divide, split, separate," from PIE base *(s)kel- "to cut." Perhaps the notion is of a flat piece of wood made by splitting a log. The verb is from O.E. gescildan. Shield volcano (1911) translates Ger. Schildvulkan (1910).

shift (n.1) --- c.1300, "a movement, a beginning," from shift (v.). This is the sense in to make shift "make efforts" (c.1460). Meaning "period of working time" (originally in a mine) is attested from 1809, perhaps influenced by a N.Sea Gmc. cognate word (e.g. N.Fris. skeft "division, stratum," skaft "one of successive parties of workmen"). Similar double senses of "division" and "relay of workers" exist in Swed. skift, Ger. schicht. Meaning "mechanism for changing gear in a motor vehicle" is recorded from 1914. Typewriter shift-lock is from 1899.

shift (n.2) --- body garment, underclothing, 1598, originally used of both men's and women's. In 17c., it began to be used as a euphemism for smock, and was itself displaced, for similar reasons of delicacy, in 19c. by chemise.

shift (v.) --- O.E. sciftan "arrange, divide," related to sceadan "divide, separate" (see shed (v.)), from P.Gmc. *skiftanan (cf. O.N. skipta "to divide, change, separate," O.Fris. skifta "to decide, determine, test," Du. schiften "to divide, turn," Ger. schichten "to classify," Schicht "shift"). Sense of "change" appeared c.1250; that of "move, transfer" is c.1375; that of "manage to get along" is first attested 1513, in phrase shift for oneself, and yielded shiftless in the modern sense (1584).

shifty --- 1570, "able to manage for oneself," from shift (v.) in secondary sense. Meaning "using dishonest methods" first recorded 1837.

shih-tzu --- small long-haired dog, 1921, from Chinese shizigou, from shi "lion" + zi "son" + gou "dog."

shiitake --- 1877, from Japanese, from shii, name of several types of evergreen trees, + take "mushroom."

Shiite --- 1728, "a member of the Shia sect of Islam," from Shiah (1626) from Arabic shi'ah "partisans, followers, sect, company, faction" (from sha'a "to follow") + -ite, Latin-derived suffix denoting "follower." Follower of the branch of Islam that recognizes Ali, Muhammad's son-in-law, as the lawful successor of the Prophet; the minority who believed, after the death of the Prophet, that spiritual and political authority followed his family line, as opposed to the Sunni, who took Abu Bakr as the political leader of the community. The Arabic name is short for Shi'at Ali "the party of Ali."

shiksa --- gentile girl, in Jewish culture, 1892, from Yiddish shikse, from Heb. siqsa, from sheqes "a detested thing" + fem. suffix -a.

shill --- 1916, "one who acts as a decoy for a gambler, auctioneer, etc." (probably originally circus or carnival argot), probably a shortened form of shillaber (1913) with the same meaning, origin unknown. The verb is attested from 1914.

shillelagh --- 1772, "cudgel," earlier, "oak wood used to make cudgels" (1677), from Shillelagh, town and barony in Co. Wicklow, Ireland, famous for its oaks.

shilling --- O.E. scilling, a coin consisting of a varying number of pence (on the continent, a common scale was 12 pennies to a shilling, 20 shillings to a pound), from P.Gmc. *skillingoz- (cf. O.S., Dan., Swed., O.Fris., O.H.G. skilling, O.N. skillingr, Du. schelling, Ger. Schilling, Goth. skilliggs), which some etymologists trace to the base *skell- "to resound, to ring," and others to the base *skel- "to split, to divide" (perhaps via sense of "shield;" see shield). The ending may represent the dim. suffix -ling. O.C.S. skulezi, Sp. escalin, Fr. schelling, It. scellino are Gmc. loan-words.

shilly-shally --- vacillate, 1703, earlier shill I, shall I (1700), fanciful reduplication of shall I? (cf. wishy-washy, dilly-dally, etc.).

shim --- a slip of wood, 1723, a Kentish word, of unknown origin. Originally a piece of iron fitted to a plow for scraping soil; meaning "thin slip to fill up a space or raise a level" is from 1860. The verb meaning "to wedge up a surface by means of a shim" is attested from 1937.

shimmer --- O.E. scimerian "to glitter," related to (perhaps a frequentative of) scimian "to shine," also "grow dark," and scinan (see shine). Ultimately from P.Gmc. *skim- (cf. Swed. skimra, Du. schemeren "to glitter," Ger. schimmern), from PIE base *skai- "to gleam, to shine." The noun is attested from 1821, from the verb.

shimmy (v.) --- do a suggestive dance, 1918, perhaps via phrase shake the shimmy, possibly from shimmy (n.), a U.S. dialectal form of chemise (mistaken as a plural; cf. shammy) first recorded 1837; or related to shimmer via a notion of glistening light. Transf. sense of "vibration of a motor vehicle" is from 1925.

shin --- O.E. scinu "shin," from P.Gmc. *skino "thin piece" (cf. Du. scheen, O.H.G. scina, Ger. Schienbein "shin, shinbones"), from PIE base *skei- "to cut, split." The verb meaning "to climb by using arms and legs" (originally a nautical word) is recorded from 1829. A shin-plaster was a piece of paper soaked in vinegar and used to treat sore legs; in U.S. history, it was used jocularly for "devalued low-denomination paper currency" (1824). Shin splints is attested from 1930.

Shin Bet --- Israeli security service, 1964, from Mod.Heb. shin + bet, names of the initial letters of sherut bitahon kelali "(general) security service."

shindig --- dance, party, lively gathering, 1871, probably from shindy "a spree, merrymaking" (1821), perhaps from shinty, name of a Scottish game akin to hockey (1771), earlier shinny (see shinny (n.)).

shine (n.) --- 1529, "brightness," from shine (v.). Meaning "polish given to a pair of boots" is from 1871. Derogatory meaning "black person" is from 1908. Phrase to take a shine to "fancy" is Amer.Eng. slang from 1839. Shiner for "black eye" first recorded 1904.

shine (v.) --- O.E. scinan "shed light, be radiant" (class I strong verb; past tense scan, pp. scinen), from P.Gmc. *skinanan (cf. O.S., O.H.G. skinan, O.N., O.Fris. skina, Du. schijnen, Ger. scheinen, Goth. skeinan "to shine, appear"), from PIE base *skai- "to gleam, shine, flicker" (cf. O.C.S. snati "to flash up, shine;" Skt. chaya, Gk. skia "shade"). Transitive meaning "to black (boots)" is from 1613.

shingle (1) --- thin piece of wood, c.1200, scincle, from L.L. scindula, altered (by influence of Gk. schidax "lath" or schindalmos "splinter") from L. scandula "roof tile," from scindere "to cleave, split," from PIE base *sked- "to split." Meaning "small signboard" is first attested 1842; that of "woman's short haircut" is from 1924. The verb meaning "to cut the hair so as to give the impression of overlapping shingles" is from 1857.

shingle (2) --- loose stones on seashore, 1513, probably related to Norw. singl "small stones," or N.Fris. singel "gravel," both said to be echoic of the sound of water running over pebbles.

shingles --- 1398, "inflammatory disease of the skin," from M.L. cingulus (loan-translation of Gk. zoster "girdle"), variant of L. cingulum "girdle," from cingere "to gird" (see cinch). The inflammation often extends around the middle of the body, like a girdle.

shinny (n.) --- primitive form of hockey, 1672, perhaps from Gael. sinteag "a bound, a leap."

shinny (v.) --- to climb a rope, pole, etc., 1888, from use of shins and ankles to do so; see shin.

Shinto --- native religious system of Japan, 1727, from Chinese shin tao "way of the gods."

-ship --- O.E. -sciepe, Anglian -scip "state, condition of being," from P.Gmc. *-skapaz (cf. O.N. -skapr, O.Fris. -skip, Du. -schap, Ger. -schaft), from base *skap- "to create, ordain, appoint." Cognate with O.E. gesceape (see shape).

ship (n.) --- O.E. scip "ship, boat," from P.Gmc. *skipan (cf. O.N., O.S., Goth. skip, Dan. skib, Swed. skepp, M.Du. scip, Du. schip, O.H.G. skif, Ger. Schiff), perhaps originally "tree cut out or hollowed out," and derived from PIE base *skei- "to cut, split." The O.E. word was used for small craft as well; in 19c., distinct from a boat in having a bowsprit and three masts, each with a lower, top, and topgallant mast. Fr. esquif, It. schifo are Gmc. loan-words. Ship-board "side of a ship" is from c.1200. Ship-shape "properly arranged" first attested 1644. Phrase ships that pass in the night is from Longfellow's poem "Aftermath" (1873). Phrase runs a tight ship is attested from 1971.

ship (v.) --- c.1300, "to send or transport by ship," from ship (n.). Transf. to other means of conveyance (railroad, etc.) from 1857, originally Amer.Eng. Shipment "that which is shipped" is from 1861.

shipwreck (n.) --- c.1450, from ship (n.) + wreck. Earlier it meant "things cast up from a shipwreck" (c.1100). The verb is recorded from 1589. The earlier word for "shipwreck" in the modern sense was M.E. schipbreke, from O.E. scipbryce.

shipyard --- c.1700, from ship (n.) + yard (1).

Shiraz --- wine made in the district of Shiraz, a city in Persia, 1634. As the name for a red wine made from a type of grape grown in the Rhône valley of France, it is recorded from 1908, from Fr. syrah,the name apparently altered in Eng. on mistaken notion that the grape was brought to Europe from the Middle East by Crusaders.

shire --- O.E. scir "administrative office or district," from P.Gmc. *skizo (cf. O.H.G. scira "care, official charge"). Ousted since 14c. by Anglo-Fr. county (q.v.). The gentrified sense is from The Shires (1796), used by people in other parts of England of those counties that end in -shire; sense transferred to the hunting country of the Midlands (1860).

shirk --- 1633, "to practice fraud or trickery," also a noun (1639, now obs.) "a disreputable parasite," perhaps from Ger. schurke "scoundrel, rogue, knave, villain" (see shark). Sense of "evade one's work or duty" first recorded 1785, originally in slang.

shirr --- to gather (cloth) on parallel threads, 1892, back-formation from shirred (1847), from shirr (n.) "elastic webbing," of unknown origin.

shirt --- O.E. scyrte "skirt, tunic," from P.Gmc. *skurtijon "a short garment" (cf. O.N. skyrta, Swed. skjorta "skirt, kirtle;" M.Du. scorte, Du. schort "apron;" M.H.G. schurz, Ger. Schurz "apron"), from the same source as O.E. scort, sceort (see short). Formerly of garments worn by both sexes, but long in modern use only for men; in ref. to women's tops, reintroduced 1896. Shirt-sleeve in ref. to "without a coat" first recorded 1566. Bloody shirt, exposed as a symbol of outrage, is attested from 1586. To give (someone) the shirt off one's back is from 1771. To lose one's shirt "suffer total financial loss" is from 1935. To keep one's shirt on "be patient" (1904) is from the notion of stripping down for a fight.

shirty --- ill-tempered, 1846, slang, probably from shirt, on notion of being disheveled in anger.

shish kebab --- 1914, from Armenian shish kabab, from Turk. siskebap, from sis "skewer" + kebap "roast meat."

shit (v.) --- O.E. scitan, from P.Gmc. *skit-, from PIE *skheid- "split, divide, separate." Related to shed (v.) on the notion of "separation" from the body (cf. L. excrementum, from excernere "to separate"). It is thus a cousin to science and conscience. The noun is O.E. scitte "purging;" sense of "excrement" dates from 1585, from the verb. Despite what you read in an e-mail, "shit" is not an acronym. The notion that it is a recent word may be because the word was taboo from c.1600 and rarely appeared in print (neither Shakespeare not the KJV has it), and even in "vulgar" publications of the late 18c. it is disguised by dashes. It drew the wrath of censors as late as 1922 ("Ulysses" and "The Enormous Room"), scandalized magazine subscribers in 1957 (a Hemingway story in "Atlantic Monthly") and was omitted from some dictionaries as recently as 1970 ("Webster's New World"). Extensive slang usage; verb meaning "to lie, to tease" is from 1934; that of "to disrespect" is from 1903. Noun use for "obnoxious person" is since at least 1508; meaning "misfortune, trouble" is attested from 1937. Shat is a humorous past tense form, not etymological, first recorded 18c. Shite, now a jocular or slightly euphemistic variant, formerly a dialectal variant, reflects the vowel in the O.E. verb (cf. Ger. scheissen). Shit-faced "drunk" is 1960s student slang; shit list is from 1942. To not give a shit "not care" is from 1922; up shit creek "in trouble" is from 1937. Scared shitless first recorded 1936.

shiv --- a razor, 1915, variant of chive, thieves' cant word for "knife" (1673), of unknown origin.

shivah --- seven days of mourning in Jewish religious custom, 1892, from Heb. shibhah "seven," short for shibh'ath yeme ha'ebhel "the seven days of mourning."

shivaree --- 1843, alteration of charivari (1735), from Fr. charivari, from O.Fr. chalivali "discordant noise made by pots and pans," from L.L. caribaria "a severe headache," from Gk. karebaria "headache," from kare "head" + barys "heavy" (see grave (adj.)).

shiver (n.) --- small piece, c.1205, probably related to M.L.G. schever, schiver "splinter," from P.Gmc. *skif- "split" (cf. O.H.G. skivaro, Ger. Schiefer "splinter, slate"). The verb, "to break in or into pieces" is attested from c.1200. Chiefly in phrases to shivers and shiver me timbers (1835), "a mock oath attributed in comic fiction to sailors" [OED]. My timbers! as a nautical oath is attested from 1789 (see timber). Also, shiver is still dial. for "splinter (n.)" in Norfolk and Lincolnshire.

shiver (v.) --- shake, c.1400, alteration of chiveren (c.1200), of uncertain origin, perhaps from O.E. ceafl "jaw," on notion of chattering teeth. Spelling change of ch- to sh- is probably from influence of shake.

shoal (1) --- place of shallow water, c.1300, from O.E. schealde (adj.), from sceald "shallow," from P.Gmc. *skala- (cf. Swed. skäll "thin;" Low Ger. schol, Fris. skol "not deep"). The terminal -d was dropped 16c.

shoal (2) --- large number (especially of fish), 1579, apparently identical with O.E. scolu "band, troop, school of fish," but perhaps rather a 16c. adoption of cognate M.Du. schole, both from P.Gmc. *skulo- (cf. O.S. scola "multitude," W.Fris. skoal), perhaps with a lit. sense of "division," from PIE base *skel- "to divide." Related to school "a crowd of fish" (q.v.). For possible sense development, cf. section from L. secare "to cut."