lask

lask · verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*(s)leg-
2. Latin · derived fromlaxāre
3. Latin · derived from*laxicāre
4. Vulgar Latin · derived from*lascāre
5. Old French · derived fromlascher
6. Old Northern French · derived from*lasquer
7. Middle English · inherited fromlasken“to diminish, weaken (the blood or other body fluids, body tissues, etc.); to thin (the blood through bloodletting); to alleviate (pain, sickness); to grow weak; to shorten (one’s life)”
8. English todaylask

From Middle English lasken (“to diminish, weaken (the blood or other body fluids, body tissues, etc.); to thin (the blood through bloodletting); to alleviate (pain, sickness); to grow weak; to shorten (one’s life)”) [and other forms], from Old Northern French *lasquer, Old French lascher, laschier (“to let go of, release; to loosen, relax”) (modern French lâcher (“to let go of, release; to loosen”)), from Vulgar Latin *lascāre, *lassicāre, from Latin *laxicāre, the frequentative of Latin laxāre, the present active infinitive of laxō (“to relax, weaken; to release, undo; to make wide, open”), from laxus (“free, loose, slack; roomy, spacious, wide”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)leg-, *(s)leh₁g- (“faint; weak”).

lask · adjective²

1. Old French · derived fromlascher
2. Old French · derived fromlaske
3. Old Northern French · derived from*lasque
4. Middle English · inherited fromlaske“lax, weak; of the bowels: loose”
5. English todaylask

From Middle English laske (“lax, weak; of the bowels: loose”), from Old Northern French *lasque, Old French laske, lasche (“not taut or tight, limp”) (modern French lâche (“loose, slack”)), from Old French lascher, laschier (“to let go of, release; to loosen, relax”): see further at etymology 1.

lask · noun³

From the adjective: see etymology 2.

Words from the same roots