achieve

The story

1. Latin · derived fromad-
2. Late Latin · derived from*accapāre
3. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*káput“head”
4. Latin · derived fromcaput“head”
5. Vulgar Latin · derived fromcapus
6. Old French · derived froma-
7. Old French · derived fromachever
8. Middle French · derived fromachever
9. Anglo-Norman · derived fromachever
10. Middle English · inherited fromachieven
11. English todayachieve

From Middle English achieven, acheven (“to accomplish (something); to acquire or obtain (something); to carry out or finish (something); to succeed in (something); to happen, turn out”), from Anglo-Norman achever, achiever, Middle French achever, achiever, and Old French achever, achiever (“to accomplish (something); to finish (something); to succeed in (something)”) (modern French achever), and then from either of the following: * Old French a- (prefix denoting addition or increase, or a change of state) + chief (“end; head”) (compare traire a chief (“to be finished”), venir a chief (“to accomplish (something)”); and Late Latin ad caput venire (“to complete (something)”)) + -er (a variant of -ier (suffix forming verbs). Chief is derived from Vulgar Latin capus, from Latin caput (“head”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *káput (“head”), possibly from *kap- (“head”). * Late Latin *accapāre, the present active infinitive of *accapō (“to finish”), from Latin ad- (prefix meaning ‘to’) + *capum (from caput (“head”); see further above) + -ō (suffix forming regular first-conjugation verbs). cognates * Catalan acabar * Late Latin achevare, acheviare (“to acknowledge feudal liability; to complete, end”) * Old Occitan acabar (modern Occitan acabar) * Portuguese acabar * Spanish acabar

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 14th c. To carry out or conclude (something, as a task) successfully; to accomplish.
• from 14th c. To gain or obtain (a desired objective, result, etc.) through effort or skill; to succeed in attaining (an objective, result, etc.); to win.
• from 15th c. To obtain (a physical thing); to get.
• 14th–18th c. To end or finish (something); to terminate; (specifically, military) to win (a battle or war).
• from 14th c. To attain a goal; to succeed in something, now especially in academic performance; (generally) to make an effort; strive.
• from 15th c. Followed by to: to attain a certain position, status, etc.
• 14th–16th c. To come to an end; conclude, end; also, to result, to turn out; or (uncommon) to be affected by fate in a certain way.