fettle

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · inherited from*ped-“foot”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*fatōną
3. Old English · inherited fromfetian“to fetch”
4. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*fatilaz
5. Old English · inherited fromfetel“belt, girdle, fettle”
6. Middle English · inherited fromfetlen“(verb) to bestow; to fix, prepare, put in place; to prepare (oneself) for battle, gird up; to shape; to be about to, or to ready (oneself) to stay; (adjective) shaped (well or poorly)”
7. English todayfettle

From Late Middle English fetlen (“(verb) to bestow; to fix, prepare, put in place; to prepare (oneself) for battle, gird up; to shape; to be about to, or to ready (oneself) to stay; (adjective) shaped (well or poorly)”) [and other forms], which possibly: * from Old English fetel (“belt, girdle, fettle”), from Proto-Germanic *fatilaz, further etymology unknown; or * from Old English fetian (“to fetch”), from Proto-Germanic *fatōną, *fatjaną (“to fetch”), from Proto-Indo-European *ped- (“foot”). Compare Old English ġefetelsod (“provided with a belt; trimmed, polished, ornamented”).

Words from the same roots