释义 |
as-prefix1Origin: A borrowing from Latin. Etymon: Latin as-. Etymology: < classical Latin as-, assimilated form of ad- ad- prefix before s- , as in assentīre assent v., assignāre assign v. The usual reflex in Old French was a- , which is sometimes reflected in Middle English borrowings, as in asent , acent , early variants of assent v. and assent n., or asigne , early variant of assign v. Under classicizing influence, the spelling as- was generally restored in Middle French, and likewise ultimately in English.The same respelling was apparently applied analogously to a number of words which do not in fact etymologically show Latin as- at all: compare e.g. asaumple n., assoil v., and discussion at those entries. Occasional new formations within English are found apparently from the 17th cent. (compare asself v. asservile v.). This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1885; most recently modified version published online March 2022). as-prefix2Origin: A borrowing from French. Etymon: French as-. Etymology: < Anglo-Norman as-, variant of Old French es- es- prefix < classical Latin ex- ex- prefix1, as in ascape v., asaumple n., assart v., assay v., achue (see eschew v.1), assoin n., astonish v. In some words this form is still retained; in others it has been altered back to es- (after Old French es- ), as in escape v., essay v., eschew v.1, or to ex- (after Latin ex- ), as in example n.; in others the a- has been lost by aphesis, as in scape v.1, sample n. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1885; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < prefix1prefix2 |