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

shoat --- 1408, "a young weaned pig," perhaps from a Low Ger. word (cf. W.Flem. schote "pig under 1 year old"), of unknown origin.

shock (1) --- sudden blow, 1565, a military term, from M.Fr. choc "violent attack," from O.Fr. choquer "strike against," probably from Frankish, from a P.Gmc. imitative base (cf. M.Du. schokken "to push, jolt," O.H.G. scoc "jolt, swing"). Meaning "a sudden and disturbing impression on the mind" is from 1705; medical sense is attested from 1804. The verb, "to come into violent contact" is attested from 1576; meaning "to give (something) an electric shock" is from 1706; sense of "to offend, displease" is first recorded 1694. Shock-absorber is attested from 1906; shock wave is from 1907. Shocking pink introduced Feb. 1937 by It.-born fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli. Shocker "something that shocks or excites" is from 1824. Shock troops (1917) translates Ger. stoßtruppen and preserves the word's original military sense.

shock (2) --- bundle of grain, c.1325, from M.L.G. schok "shock of corn," originally "group of sixty," from P.Gmc. *skukka- (cf. O.S. skok, Du. schok "sixty pieces," Ger. Hocke "heap of sheaves").

shock (3) --- thick mass of hair, 1819, from earlier shock (adj.) "having thick hair" (1681), and a noun sense of "lap dog having long, shaggy hair" (1638), from shough (1599), the name for this type of dog, which was said to have been brought originally from Iceland; the word is perhaps from shock (2), or from an O.N. variant of shag.

shod --- wearing shoes, 1382, from M.E. pp. of shoe (v.), surviving chiefly in compounds, e.g. roughshod, slipshod, etc.

shoddy --- 1862, "having a delusive appearance of high quality," from earlier noun meaning "wool made of woolen waste, old rags, etc." (1832), of uncertain origin.

shoe --- O.E. scoh "shoe," from P.Gmc. *skokhaz (cf. O.N. skor, Dan., Swed. sko, O.Fris. skoch, O.S. skoh, M.Du. scoe, Du. schoen, O.H.G. scuoh, Ger. Schuh, Goth. skoh). No known cognates outside Gmc., unless it somehow is connected with PIE base *skeu- "cover" (cf. second element in L. ob-scurus). Old plural form shoon lasted until 16c. Meaning "metal plate to protect a horse's hoof" is attested from 1387. The verb is from O.E. scogan. Distinction between shoe and boot is attested from c.1400. Shoeshine is from 1911. Shoelace is attested from 1647. Shoestring is from 1616; as fig. for "a small amount" it is recorded from 1882; as a type of necktie, from 1903. Shoebox is attested from 1860; as a type of building, from 1968. To stand in someone's shoes "see things from his or her point of view" is attested from 1767. Old shoe as a type of something worthless is attested from c.1386. Shoes tied to the fender of a newlywed couple's car preserves the old custom (mentioned from 1546) of throwing an old shoe at or after someone to wish them luck. Perhaps the association is with dirtiness, on the "muck is luck" theory.

shoehorn (n.) --- 1589, from shoe + horn; earlier shoeing-horn (1440). The verb in the fig. sense of "to put or thrust (something somewhere) by means of a 'tool' " is recorded from 1859. Earlier it meant "to cuckold" (c.1650), with a play on horn.

shofar --- ram's horn blown on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, 1833, from Heb. shophar "ram's horn," related to Arabic sawafiru "ram's horns," Akkad. shapparu "wild goat."

shogun --- 1615, "hereditary commander of Japanese army," from Jap. (sei-i-tai) shogun "(barbarian-subduing) chief" (1192), sound-substitution for Chinese chiang chiin, lit. "lead army." Shogunate (1871) is a hybrid, with L. suffix -ate.

shoo (v.) --- 1622, "to drive away by calling 'shoo,' " from the exclamation (1483), instinctive, cf. Ger. schu, It. scioia. Shoo-in "easy winner (especially in politics)" (1939) was originally a horse that wins a race by pre-arrangement (1928; the verb phrase shoo in in this sense is from 1908). Shoo-fly, admonition to a pest, was popularized by a Dan Bryant minstrel song c.1870, which launched it as a catch-phrase that, according to H.L. Mencken, "afflicted the American people for at least two years." Shoo-fly pie is attested from 1935.

shook up --- excited, 1897 slang, from shook (O.E. scoc), p.t. of shake. Revived 1957 by Elvis Presley.

shoot (n.) --- young branch of a tree or plant, 1450, from shoot (v.). Meaning "conduit for coal, etc." is from 1844. Shoot-out is from 1953.

shoot (v.) --- O.E. sceotan "to shoot" (class II strong verb; past tense sceat, pp. scoten), from P.Gmc. *skeutanan (cf. O.S. skiotan, O.N. skjota, O.Fris. skiata, Du. schieten, Ger. schießen), from PIE base *skeud- "to shoot, to chase, to throw, to project" (cf. Skt. skundate "hastens, makes haste," O.C.S. iskydati "to throw out," Lith. skudrus "quick, nimble"). Meanings "send forth swiftly" and "wound with missiles" were in O.E. In ref. to pool playing, the verb is attested from 1926. Meaning "to inject by means of a hypodermic needle" is attested from 1914. Meaning "photograph" (especially a movie) is from 1890. As an interjection, an arbitrary euphemistic alteration of shit, it is recorded from 1934. Shooting star first recorded 1593. Shoot the breeze "chat" first recorded 1941. Shoot to kill first attested 1867.

shop (n.) --- 1297, perhaps from O.E. scoppa "booth or shed for trade or work" (rare), related to scypen "cowshed," from P.Gmc. *skoppan "small additional structure" (cf. O.H.G. scopf "building without walls, porch," Ger. dial. Scopf "porch, cart-shed, barn," Ger. Schuppen "a shed"), from base *skupp-. But it's likely that the M.E. word was acquired from O.Fr. eschoppe "booth, stall," which is a Gmc. loan-word from the same root. Meaning "schoolroom equipped for teaching vocational arts" is from 1914, Amer.Eng. Sense of "matters pertaining to one's trade" is from 1814 (as in to talk shop, 1860). Shopping cart is recorded from 1956; shopping list first attested 1913; transf. and fig. use is from 1959.

shop (v.) --- 1688, "to bring something to a shop, to expose for sale," from shop (n.). The meaning "to visit shops" is first attested 1764. Shop around is from 1922.

shoplifter --- 1680, from shop (n.) + agent noun of lift (q.v.).

shore (n.) --- c.1300, "land bordering a large body of water," perhaps from M.L.G. schor "shore, coast, headland," or M.Du. scorre "land washed by the sea," probably from P.Gmc. *skur- "cut" and according to etymologists originally with a sense of "division" between land and water, and thus related to O.E. sceran "shear, to cut" (see shear). But if the word originated on the North Sea coast of the continent, it may as well have meant "land 'cut off' from the mainland by tidal marshes" (cf. O.N. skerg "an isolated rock in the sea," related to sker "to cut, shear"). Few I.E. languages have such a single comprehensive word for "land bordering water" (Gk. had one word for sandy beaches, another for rocky headlands). General application to "country near a seacoast" is attested from 1611.

shore (v.) --- 1340, "to prop, support with a prop," of obscure etymology, though widespread in W.Gmc.; cf. M.Du. schooren "to prop up, support," O.N. skorða (n.) "a piece of timber set up as a support."

shorn --- shaven, pp. of shear (q.v.), from O.E. scoren.

short (adj.) --- O.E. sceort, scort, probably from P.Gmc. *skurta- (cf. O.N. skorta "to be short of," skort "shortness;" O.H.G. scurz "short"), from PIE base *sker- "to cut," with notion of "something cut off" (cf. Skt. krdhuh "shortened, maimed, small;" L. curtus "short," cordus "late-born," originally "stunted in growth;" O.C.S. kratuku, Rus. korotkij "short;" Lith. skurstu "to be stunted," skardus "steep;" O.Ir. cert "small," M.Ir. corr "stunted, dwarfish"). Meaning "rude" is attested from 1390. Shorty "short person" is recorded from 1888. To fall short is from archery. Shortage is attested from 1868. Short cut is from 1568. Short fuse in fig. sense of "quick temper" first attested 1968. Short story first recorded 1877. Short list dates from 1927. To make short work of is first attested 1577. Phrase short and sweet is from 1539.

short (n.) --- Meaning "electrical short circuit" first recorded 1854 (the verbal phrase short circuit is recorded from 1867). Slang meaning "car" is attested from 1897; originally "street car," so called based on street cars (or the rides taken in them) being "shorter" than railroad cars.

short-change --- to cheat by giving too little change to, 1903, from short (adj.) + change.

shortcoming --- 1680, from the phrase to come short "be inadequate" (1579); see short (adj.).

shorten (v.) --- 1513, from short (adj.); the earlier form of the verb was simply short, from O.E. sceortian "to grow short," gescyrtan "to make short."

shortening --- butter or other fat used in baking, 1796, from shorten "make crumbly" (1733), from short in the secondary sense of "easily crumbled" (c.1430), which perhaps arose via the notion of "having short fibers." This is also the sense behind shortbread (1801) and shortcake (1594).

shorthand --- method of rapid writing, 1636, from short (adj.) + hand as in handwriting. Short-handed "having too few 'hands' " is from 1794; the ice hockey sense is recorded from 1939.

short-lived --- 1588, from short (adj.) + pt. of live (v.).

short-order --- in restaurant jargon, "to be made quickly," 1906, from short (adj.) + order (n.). First attested in an O. Henry story.

shorts --- short pants, 1826, from short (adj.). Short-shorts is attested from 1946, originally men's briefs.

short-sighted --- 1622, "not taking the future into account," from short (adj.) + pt. of sight (q.v.). Lit. sense is recorded from 1649.

short-sleeve --- 1639, from short (adj.) + sleeve. First recorded in an ordinance of Massachusetts Bay colony, forbidding "short sleeves, whereby the nakedness of the arme may be discovered."

shortstop (n.) --- 1837, from short (adj.) + stop. In cricket, there also is a longstop.

short-term --- 1901, from short (adj.) + term (n.).

short-timer --- one whose term or enlistment is about to expire, 1906, from short (adj.) + time.

short-wave --- radio wavelength less than c.100 meters, 1907, from short (adj.) + wave.

Shoshone --- Uto-Aztecan people of the Great Basin, of unknown origin, first applied 19c. to eastern Shoshonis of Wyoming.

shot --- O.E. scot, sceot "an act of shooting, that which is discharged in shooting," from P.Gmc. *skutan (cf. O.N. skutr, O.Fris. skete, M.Du. scote, Ger. Schuß "a shot"), related to sceotan "to shoot" (see shoot). Meaning "discharge of a bow, missile," is from O.E. gesceot; extended to other projectiles in M.E., and to sports (hockey, basketball, etc.) 1868. Another original meaning, "payment," is preserved in scot-free. Meaning "drink of straight liquor" first attested 1676. Meaning "try, attempt" is from 1756; adj. sense of "exhausted" is from 1930. Sense of "hypodermic injection" first attested 1904; fig. phrase shot in the arm "stimulant" first recorded 1922. Meaning "remark meant to wound" is recorded from 1841; hence cheap shot (1973). To call the shots is first attested 1967; shot in the dark is from 1895. Big shot "important person" first recorded 1929; earlier great shot (1861).

shotgun --- 1828, Amer.Eng., from shot in the sense of "lead in small pellets" (1770) + gun. As distinguished from a rifle, which fires bullets. Shotgun wedding first attested 1927, Amer.Eng.

shotten --- having shot its spawn, and accordingly of inferior value, 1451, from pp. of shoot (q.v.). Originally of fish; applied to persons, with sense of "exhausted by sickness," from 1596.

should --- c.1200, from O.E. sceolde, past tense of sceal (see shall). Preserves the original notion of "obligation" that has all but dropped from shall.

shoulder --- O.E. sculdor, from W.Gmc. *skuldro (cf. M.Du. scouder, Du. schouder, O.Fris. skoldere, M.L.G. scholder, O.H.G. scultra, Ger. Schulter), of unknown origin, perhaps related to shield. Meaning "edge of the road" is attested from 1933. The verb is first attested c.1300 with sense "to push with the shoulder;" meaning "take a burden" first recorded 1582. Cold shoulder (Neh. ix:29) translates L. humerum recedentum dare in Vulgate (but see alternate explanation under cold).

shout --- c.1300, schowten "to call or cry out loudly," of unknown origin; perhaps from the root of shoot, on the notion of "throw the voice out loudly," or related to O.N. skuta "a taunt." The noun is first recorded 1375.

shove --- O.E. scufan "push away" (class II strong verb; past tense sceaf, pp. scoven), from P.Gmc. *skeub-, *skub- (cf. O.N. skufa, O.Fris. skuva, Du. schuiven, O.H.G. scioban, Ger. schieben "to push, thrust," Goth. af-skiuban) "to put away," from PIE base *skeubh- "to shove" (cf. scuffle, shuffle, shovel; likely cognates outside Gmc. include Lith. skubti "to make haste," skubinti "to hasten"). Replaced by push in all but colloquial and nautical usage. The noun is attested from c.1300. Shove off "leave" (1844) is from boating.

shovel --- O.E. scofl, sceofol, related to scufan (see shove), from P.Gmc. *skublo (cf. O.S. skufla, Swed. skovel, M.L.G. schufle, M.Du. shuffel, Du. schoffel, O.H.G. scuvala, Ger. Schaufel).The verb is attested from c.1440.

show (n.) --- c.1300, "act of exhibiting to view," from show (v.). Sense of "appearance put on with intention to deceive" is recorded from c.1526. Meaning "display, spectacle" is first recorded 1561; that of "ostentatious display" is from 1713 (showy is from 1712). Sense of "entertainment program on radio or TV" is first recorded 1932. Meaning "third place in a horse race" is from 1925, Amer.Eng. Show of hands is attested from 1789; Phrase for show "for appearance's sake" is from c.1700. Show business is attested from 1850; shortened form show biz first attested 1945. Expression the show must go on is first attested 1941. Show-stopper is from 1926; show trial first recorded 1937.

show (v.) --- O.E. sceawian "to look at, see," from W.Gmc. *skauwojanan (cf. O.S. skauwon "to look at," O.Fris. skawia, Du. schouwen, O.H.G. scouwon "to look at;" Du. schoon, Goth. skaunjai "beautiful," originally "conspicuous"), from P.Gmc. root *skau- "behold, look at," from PIE *skou-, variant of base *skeue- "to pay attention, perceive" (see caveat). Causal meaning "let be seen, put in sight, make known" evolved c.1200 for unknown reasons and is unique to Eng. (Ger. schauen still means "look at"). Spelling shew, popular 18c. and surviving into early 19c., represents obsolete pronunciation (rhymes with view).

show up --- arrive, 1888, see show (v.). Meaning "to disgrace through exposure" is attested from 1826.

show-and-tell --- elementary school teaching tool, 1948, Amer.Eng.

showboat --- 1869, "river steamer on which theatrical performances are given," from show (n.) + boat. The verb meaning "to show off" is attested from 1951.

showcase --- glass case for exhibiting valuable things, 1835, from show (v.) + case (q.v.). In the extended, theatrical sense, it is attested from 1937. The verb is first recorded 1945.

show-down --- 1904, from poker players' slang term for the act of laying down the hands face-up (1892); see show (v.).

shower (n.) --- O.E. scur "short fall of rain, fall of missiles or blows," from W.Gmc. *skuraz (cf. O.N. skur, O.S., O.H.G. scur, Ger. Schauer, Goth. skura, in skura windis "windstorm"), from base *skuro, from PIE base *kew-(e)ro- "north, north wind" (cf. L. caurus "northwest wind;" O.C.S. severu "north, north wind;" Lith. siaurus "raging, stormy," siaurys "north wind," siaure "north"). Sense of "shower bath" first recorded 1851. The verb is from 1573. Meaning "large number of gifts bestowed on a bride" (1904, Amer.Eng. colloquial) later was extended to the party at which it happens (1926).

showgirl --- actress whose role is decorative rather than histrionic [OED], 1836, from show (v.) + girl.

showmanship --- 1859, from showman "one who presents shows" (1734); see show (n.).

show-off --- 1776 (n.) "a display;" see show (v.). In ref. to the person who makes an ostentatious display, attested from 1924. The verb is first recorded 1793.

showroom --- room for displaying furniture for sale, 1616, from show (v.) + room.

shrapnel --- 1806, from Gen. Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842), who invented a type of exploding, fragmenting shell when he was a lieutenant in the Royal Artillery during the Peninsular War. The invention consisted of a hollow cannon ball, filled with shot, which burst in mid-air; his name for it was spherical case ammunition. Sense of "shell fragments" is first recorded 1940. The surname is attested from 13c., and is believed to be a metathesized form of Charbonnel, a dim. form of O.Fr. charbon "charcoal," in ref. to complexion, hair color, or some other quality.

shred --- O.E. screade "piece cut off," from W.Gmc. *skraudas (cf. M.L.G. schrot "piece cut off," O.H.G. scrot, "a cutting, piece cut off," Ger. Schrot "small shot," O.N. skrydda "shriveled skin"), from PIE base *skreu- "to cut, cutting tool" (cf. L. scrutari "to search, examine," from scruta "trash, frippery;" O.E. scrud "dress, garment;" see shroud). The verb is from O.E. screadian "prune, cut" (cf. M.Du. scroden, Du. schroeien, O.H.G. scrotan, Ger. schroten "to shred"). Shredded wheat is recorded fron 1899; shredder in the paper disposal sense is from 1950.

shrew --- small mammal, O.E. screawa "shrew-mouse," unknown outside English, perhaps from P.Gmc. *skreu- "to cut" (see shred). Alternate O.E. word for it was scirfemus, from sceorfan "to gnaw." The meaning "peevish, malignant, clamorous, spiteful, vexatious, turbulent woman" [Johnson] is c.1386, from earlier sense of "spiteful person" (male or female), c.1250, traditionally said to derive from some supposed malignant influence of the animal, which was once believed to have a venomous bite and was held in superstitious dread. Shrewish "scolding" is from 1565, originally "wicked, evil" (1375).

shrewd --- c.1300, "wicked, evil," from shrewe "wicked man" (see shrew). Cf. crabbed from crab, dogged from dog, wicked from witch. The sense of "cunning" is first recorded 1520.

Shrewsbury --- has one of the most complex developments of English place names and illustrates the changes wrought in Old English words by Anglo-Norman scribes who could not pronounce them. Recorded 1016 as Scrobbesbyrig, it originally may have meant "the fortified place in (a district called) The Scrub." The initial consonant cluster was impossible for the scribes, who simplified it to sr-, then added a vowel to make it easier still. The name was also changed by Anglo-Norman loss or metathesis of liquids in words containing -l-, -n-, or -r- (also evident in the derivatives of O.Fr. Berengier "bear-spear" -- O.H.G. Beringar -- name of one of the paladins in the Charlemagne romances and a common given name in England 12c. and 13c., which has come down in surnames as Berringer, Bellanger, Benger, etc.). Thus Sarop- became Salop- and in the 12c. and 13c. the overwhelming spelling in government records was Salopesberie, which accounts for the abbreviation Salop for the modern county. During all this, the Anglo-Saxon inhabitants (as opposed to the French scribes) still pronounced it properly, and regular sound evolutions probably produced a pronunciation something like Shrobesbury (which turns up on a 1327 patent roll). After a predictable -b- to -v- (a vowel in the Middle Ages) to -u- shift, the modern spelling begins to emerge 14c. and is fully established 15c.

shriek (v.) --- c.1200, scrycke, from O.N. skrækja "to screech" (see screech), probably of imitative origin. The noun is attested from 1590.

shrift --- O.E. scrift "confession to priest, followed by penance and absolution," verbal noun from scrifan "to impose penance" (see shrive). Short shrift was originally the brief time for a condemned criminal to confess before execution (1594); fig. extension to "little or no consideration" is first attested 1814.

shrike --- O.E. scric "thrush," lit. "bird with a shrill call," probably echoic of its cry and related to shriek (cf. O.N. skrikja "shrieker, shrike").

shrill --- c.1386, schrylle "high-pitched, piercing" (of the voice), probably related to O.E. scralletan "to sound loudly," of imitative origin (cf. Low Ger. schrell, Ger. schrill "piercing, shrill"). The verb sense of "to sound shrilly" is recorded from c.1300.

shrimp --- 1327, "kind of slender shellfish," probably from O.N. skreppa "thin person," from P.Gmc. *skrempanan (see scrimp). Related to O.E. scrimman "to shrink." The connecting notion is probably "thinness" (cf. Dan. dialectal skrimpe "thin cattle"). The meaning "puny person" in Eng. is attested from 1386.

shrine --- O.E. scrin "ark of the covenant, case for relics," from L. scrinium "case or box for keeping papers," of unknown origin. A Shriner (1884) is a member of the Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (est. 1872).

shrink --- O.E. scrincan (class III strong verb; past tense scranc, pp. scruncen), from P.Gmc. *skrenkanan (cf. M.Du. schrinken), probably from PIE base *(s)ker- "to turn, bend." Originally with causal shrench (cf. drink/drench). The meaning "draw back, recoil" (c.1300) perhaps was suggested by the behavior of snails. The slang sense of "psychiatrist" is first recorded 1966, from head-shrinker (1950). Shrink-wrap is attested from 1961.

shrive --- O.E. scrifan "assign, decree, impose penance," from W.Gmc. *skriban (cf. O.S. scriban, O.Du. scrivan, Du. schrijven "to write;" O.N. skrjpt "penance, confession"), an early borrowing from L. scribere "to write" (see script).

shrivel --- 1565 (implied in shriveled), of unknown origin, perhaps from a Scand. source (cf. Swed. skryvla "to wrinkle, to shrivel").

Shropshire --- shortened form of the old spelling of Shrewsbury + shire.

shroud --- O.E. scrud "a garment, clothing," from W.Gmc. *skruthan, from P.Gmc. *skrud- "cut" (cf. O.N. skruð "shroud of a ship," Dan., Swed. skrud "dress, attire"), variant of *skreud- "to cut," related to O.E. screade (see shred). Meaning "cloth or sheet for burial" first attested 1570. The verb is attested from c.1300, originally "to clothe;" meaning "to hide from view, conceal" (trans.) is attested from 1412.

shrove --- 1579, shortened from Shrovetide (c.1425), from schrof-, related to schrifen (see shrive). Shrove Tuesday (c.1500) is from practice of celebration and merrymaking before going to confession at the beginning of Lent.

shrub --- O.E. scrybb "brushwood, shrubbery," a rare and late word, possibly from a Scand. source (cf. dial. Dan. skrub "brushwood," Norw. skrubba "dwarf tree"). Presumably related to N.Fris. skrobb "broom plant, brushwood;" W.Flem. schrobbe "climbing wild pea." Shrubbery first attested 1748.

shrug (v.) --- c.1400, schurgyng, of uncertain origin. Perhaps connected to Dan. skrugge "to stoop, crouch." The noun is first recorded 1594. To shrug (something) off "dismiss" is recorded from 1909.

shtetl --- small Jewish town or village in Eastern Europe, 1949, from Yiddish, lit. "little town," from dim. of Ger. Stadt "city, town," from O.H.G. stat "place," from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet).

shtick --- 1959, from Yiddish shtik "an act, gimmick," lit. "a piece, slice," from M.H.G. stücke "piece, play," from O.H.G. stucki (see stock (n.1)).

shtup --- annoy, 1952; "have sexual intercourse with," 1967; from Yiddish, lit. "push, shove," related to Ger. dial. stupfen "to nudge, jog."

shuck (v.) --- 1819, "to remove the shucks from," from noun (1674) meaning "husk, pod, shell," Amer.Eng., of unknown origin. Later used in ref. to the shells of oysters and clams (1872). Interjection shucks is 1847, from sense of "something valueless" (not worth shucks). Many extended senses are from the notion of "stripping" an ear of corn, or from the capers associated with husking frolics; e.g. "to strip (off) one's clothes" (1848) and "to deceive, swindle, cheat, fool" (1959); phrase shucking and jiving "fooling, deceiving" is suggested from 1966, in U.S. black English, but cf. shuck (v.) a slang term among "cool musicians" for "to improvise chords, esp. to a piece of music one does not know" (1957), and shuck (n.) "a theft or fraud," in use by 1950s among U.S. blacks.