screed

screed · noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*(s)ker-“to cut off”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*skraudō“a piece, shred; a cut, crack”
3. Old English · inherited fromsċrēad
4. Middle English · inherited fromscrede
5. English todayscreed

From Middle English screde [and other forms], a variant of shrede (“fragment, scrap; strip of cloth; strip cut off from a larger piece; band or thread woven into fabric; element, streak”) (whence shred (noun)), from Old English sċrēad, sċrēade (“a piece cut off; paring, shred”), from Proto-Germanic *skraudō (“a piece, shred; a cut, crack”), from *skraudaną (“to cut up, shred”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to cut off”). The English word is cognate with Old Frisian skrēd. Doublet of escrow, scroll, and shred.

screed · verb²

1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*skraudaną“to cut up, shred”
2. Old English · inherited fromscrēadian“to cut up, shred; to cut off, prune”
3. Middle English · inherited fromscreda
4. Middle English · inherited fromscrede
5. English todayscreed

From Middle English screde, Early Middle English screda, a variant of shreden, shrede (“to chop, cut up, hack; to cut to shape; to maim, wound; to prune, trim”) [and other forms] (whence shred (verb)), from Old English scrēadian (“to cut up, shred; to cut off, prune”), from Proto-Germanic *skraudaną (“to cut up, shred”), see further at etymology 1; later uses are derived from the noun screed.

screed · noun, verb³

Probably imitative; compare screech, skreigh.

screed · adjective⁴

From scree (“loose, stony debris”) + -ed.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from late 18th c. A speech or piece of writing which contains angry and extended criticism.
• from mid 14th c. A piece or narrow strip cut or torn off from a larger whole; a shred.