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Etymology
Dictionary
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Origin and Etymology of the word
MAINTAIN.
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From An Etymology
Dictionary of the English Language, by Walter W. Skeat, 1893 |
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MAINTAIN,
to keep in a fixed state, keep up, support. (F.,—L.)
M.E. maintenen, mayntenen, K. Alisaunder, l. 1592.—F.
maintenir, 'to maintain;' Cot.—Lat.
manu tenere, to hold in the hand; or more likely, in late Latin, to hold
by the hand, to support or aid another, as shewn by the use of M.E. mainteinen,
to aid and abet, P. Plowman, B. iii. 90, and note.—Lat.
manu, abl. case of manus, the hand; and tenere, to
hold. See Manual and Tenable.
Der. maintain-able, maintain-er; mainten-ance, M.E. meintenaunce,
spelt mentenaunce in Shoreham's Poems, p. 100, l. 19, from O.F. maintenance,
'maintenance;' Cot.
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| Etymology
Dictionary Index |
| A, B,
C, D, E,
F, G, H,
I, J, K,
L, M, N,
O, P, Q,
R, S, T,
U, V, W,
X, Y, Z
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| Key |
| Arab.=Arabic. |
| A.S.=Anglo
Saxon. |
| Bavar.=Bavarian |
| Bohem.=Bohemian. |
| C.=Celtic,
used as a general term for Irish, Gaelic, Welsh, Breton,
Cornish, &c. |
| Corn.=Cornish. |
| Dan.=Danish. |
| Du.=Dutch |
| E.=English. |
| E.E.=Early
English. |
| Europ.=European. |
| F.=French. |
| G.=German. |
| Gk.=Greek. |
| Goth.=Gothic. |
| Icel.=Icelandic. |
| Ital.=Italian. |
| L. or
Lat.=Latin. |
| Lith.
& Lithuan.=Lithuanian. |
| M.E.=Middle
English. |
| M.F.=Middle
French |
| M.H.G.=Middle
High German. |
| Norw.=Norwegian. |
| O.F.=Old
French. |
| O.H.G.=Old
High German. |
| Pers.=Persian. |
| Port.=Portuguese. |
| Scand.=Scandinavian,
used as a general term for Icelandic, Swedish, Danish,
&c. |
| Sc.=Scottish. |
| Skt.=Sanskrit. |
| Span.=Spanish. |
| Swed.=Sweish. |
| Teut.=Teutonic |
| Turk.=Turkish. |
| W.=Welsh. |
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