yammer

The story

1. Middle Dutch · derived fromjammeren
2. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*yem-“to hold, match, defeat”
3. Proto-Germanic · derived from*jēmaraz“miserable, sorrowful, sad”
4. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*jēmarōną“to show misery or sadness”
5. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*jāmarōn
6. Old English · inherited fromġeōmrian“to lament”
7. Middle English · inherited fromȝameren
8. English todayyammer

From Middle English ȝameren, ȝaumeren, yemeren, ȝomeren, from Old English ġeōmrian (“to lament”), from Proto-West Germanic *jāmarōn, from Proto-Germanic *jēmarōną (“to show misery or sadness”), from Proto-Germanic *jēmaraz (“miserable, sorrowful, sad”), from Proto-Indo-European *yem- (“to hold, match, defeat”). Reinforced by cognate Middle Dutch jammeren (modern Dutch jammeren), from the same ultimate origin. Cognate also with Scots yammer, Saterland Frisian jammerje, West Frisian jammerje, German Low German jammern, German jammern, Danish jamre, Norwegian jamre. Compare also Old Norse amra (“to howl, wail, yammer”).