limp

limp · verb, noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · inherited from*(s)lemb-
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*limpaną“to hang down”
3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*limpan
4. Old English · inherited fromlimpan
5. Middle English · inherited fromlimpen“to fall short”
6. English todaylimp

From Middle English limpen (“to fall short”), from Old English limpan, from Proto-West Germanic *limpan, from Proto-Germanic *limpaną (“to hang down”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)lemb-, *(s)lembʰ- (“to hang loosely, hang limply”). Cognate with Low German lumpen (“to limp”), Middle High German limpfen (“to hobble, limp”), dialectal German lampen (“to hang down loosely”), Icelandic limpa (“limpness, weakness”).

limp · adjective, verb, noun²

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*(s)lemb-
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*limpaną“to hang down”
3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*limpan
4. Old English · inherited from*lemp
5. Middle English · inherited from*limp
6. English todaylimp

From Middle English *limp, *lemp, from Old English *lemp (recorded only in compound lemphealt (“limping”), from Proto-West Germanic *limpan, from Proto-Germanic *limpaną (“to hang down”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)lemb-, *(s)lembʰ- (“to hang loosely, hang limply”). Cognate with German lampecht (“flaccid, limp”), Icelandic lempinn, lempiligur (“pliable, gentle”). See above.

limp · verb³

1. Old English · inherited fromlimpan“to happen, occur, exist, belong to, suit, befit, concern”
2. Middle English · inherited fromlimpen
3. English todaylimp

From Middle English limpen, from Old English limpan (“to happen, occur, exist, belong to, suit, befit, concern”). Cognate with Scots limp (“to chance to be, come”), Middle Dutch limpen (“to happen”), Middle Low German gelimpen (“to moderate, treat mildly”), Middle High German limfen (“to suit, become”).

Words from the same roots