Advertisement

Origin and history of spanner

spanner(n.)

1630s, a tool for winding the spring of a wheel-lock firearm, from German Spanner, from spannen "to join, fasten, extend, connect," from Proto-Germanic *spannan, from PIE root *(s)pen- "to draw, stretch, spin" (source also of spin (v.), span (v.)).

The meaning "mechanical wrench" is from 1790; the common figurative phrase spanner in the works indicating something that disrupts smooth operation or breaks it entirely (like a tool thrown into the machinery) is attested by 1920.

also from 1630s

Entries linking to spanner

span(v.)

Middle English spannen, from Old English spannan "join, link, clasp, fasten, bind, connect; to stretch, spread out" (past tense speonn), from the noun or else from Proto-Germanic *spannan (source also of Old Norse spenna, Old Frisian spanna, Middle Dutch spannen, Dutch spannan "stretch, bend, hoist, hitch," Old High German spannan, German spannen "to join, fasten, extend, connect"), from PIE root *(s)pen- "to draw, stretch, spin" (source also of spin (v.) and of the two nouns span).

Hence "grasp, lay hold of" (late 14c., a sense now obsolete), "measure by means of the outstretched hand" (1550s). The meaning "to encircle with the hand(s)" is by 1781; the transitive sense of "stretch from side to side or end to end of, extend over or across" (something) is by 1630s. Related: Spanned; spanning.

spin(v.)

Middle English spinnen, from Old English spinnan (transitive) "draw out and twist (raw fibers) into thread," strong verb (past tense spann, past participle spunnen), from Proto-Germanic *spenwan (source also of Old Norse and Old Frisian spinna, Danish spinde, Dutch spinnen, Old High German spinnan, German spinnen, Gothic spinnan), from a suffixed form of PIE root *(s)pen- "to draw, stretch, spin."

The intransitive senses of "form threads from fibrous stuff; twist, writhe" developed in late Old English. Figurative use, "to fabricate or produce in a manner analogous in some way to spinning," is by 1550s (also compare yarn). Of spiders from late 14c. In reference to insects (silk worms) by 1510s.

The transitive sense of "cause to turn rapidly" is from 1610s; the intransitive meaning "revolve, turn around rapidly" is recorded by 1660s. To spin out in a motor vehicle is by 1954. To spin one's wheels in the figurative sense of "do work but get no result for it" is by 1960. The meaning "play a phonograph record" is attested by 1936 (Variety).

The meaning "attempt to influence reporters' minds after an event has taken place but before they have written about it" seems to have risen to popularity in the 1984 U.S. presidential campaign; as in spin doctor, which was prominent in newspaper accounts of the election from c. Oct. 23, 1984.

[Joe] Jamele insists his job is just to go for coffee. But others call him a "spin doctor," a Reagan camp term for a person who tries to influence the proper "spin" on news stories. [Rutland, Vt., Herald, Nov. 2, 1984]

In the Middle English phrase When adam delf & eue span (which concludes variously), "in the earliest times," span is the old past tense of spin (along with spanne, spane; spunne, sponne); the reference is to his digging and her spinning as characteristic occupations (compare distaff).

*(s)pen-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to draw, stretch, spin."

It might form all or part of: append; appendix; avoirdupois; compendium; compensate; compensation; counterpoise; depend; dispense; equipoise; expend; expense; expensive; hydroponics; impend; painter (n.2) "rope or chain that holds an anchor to a ship's side;" pansy; penchant; pend; pendant; pendentive; pending; pendular; pendulous; pendulum; pension; pensive; penthouse; perpendicular; peso; poise; ponder; ponderous; pound (n.1) "measure of weight;" prepend; prepense; preponderate; propensity; recompense; span (n.1) "distance between two objects;" span (n.2) "two animals driven together;" spangle; spanner; spend; spider; spin; spindle; spinner; spinster; stipend; suspend; suspension.

It might also be the source of: Latin pendere "to hang, to cause to hang," pondus "weight" (perhaps the notion is the weight of a thing measured by how much it stretches a cord), pensare "to weigh, consider;" Greek ponos "toil," ponein "to toil;" Lithuanian spendžiu, spęsti "lay a snare;" Old Church Slavonic peti "stretch, strain," pato "fetter," pina "I span;" Old English spinnan "to spin," spannan "to join, fasten; stretch, span;" Armenian henum "I weave;" Greek patos "garment," literally "that which is spun;" Lithuanian pinu "I plait, braid," spandau "I spin;" Middle Welsh cy-ffiniden "spider;" Old English spinnan "draw out and twist fibers into thread," spiðra "spider," literally "spinner."

    Advertisement

    Trends of spanner

    adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

    More to explore

    wrench
    Old English wrencan "to twist," from Proto-Germanic *wrankjan (source also of Old High German renken, German renken "to twist, wrench," Old English wringan "to wring"), from PIE *wreng- "to turn" (source also of Sanskrit vrnakti "turns, twists," Lithuanian rengtis "to grow crooke
    jaw
    late 14c., jowe, joue, "the bones of the mouth," "A word of difficult etymology" [OED]. Probably from Old French joue "cheek," originally jode, from Gallo-Romance *gauta or directly from Gaulish *gabata, but there are phonetic problems; or perhaps a variant of Germanic words rela
    the
    definite article, late Old English þe, nominative masculine form of the demonstrative pronoun and adjective. After c.950, it replaced earlier se (masc.), seo (fem.), þæt (neuter), and probably represents se altered by the th- form which was used in all the masculine oblique cases
    works
    Old English, "(someone's) deeds, acts, or actions, the things one has done in life," often especially "good deeds, acts of piety, demonstrations of virtue," plural of work (n.). Meaning "operations pertinent to maintaining a large physical place" (private, religious, or municipal
    soldier
    c. 1300, souder, soudiour, "fighting man, one engaged ion military service," from Old French soudier, soldier and Anglo-French variants, "one who serves in the army for pay," from Medieval Latin soldarius "a soldier" (source also of Spanish soldado, Italian soldato), literally "o
    postulate
    1530s, "nominate to a church office," from Medieval Latin postulatus, past participle of postulare "to ask, demand; claim; require," probably formed from past participle of Latin poscere "ask urgently, demand," from *posk-to-, Italic inchoative of PIE root *prek- "to ask question
    organization
    early 15c., organisacioun, "structure of the body or its parts;" mid-15c., "act or process of organizing, the arranging of parts in an organic whole" from Medieval Latin organizationem (nominative organizatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of organizare, from Latin or
    temerity
    "extreme venturesomeness, rashness, recklessness," late 14c., from Latin temeritatem (nominative temeritas) "blind chance, accident; rashness, indiscretion, foolhardiness," from temere "by chance, at random; indiscreetly, rashly, recklessly;" probably, etymologically, "blindly,"
    supplant
    c. 1300, supplaunten, "dispossess, acquire (a position from someone) by strategy or scheming" (implied in agent noun supplanter), from Old French suplanter, sosplanter "to trip up, overthrow, drive out, usurp," or directly from Latin supplantare "trip up, overthrow," from assimil
    muff
    1590s, "covering into which both hands may be thrust to keep them warm," from Dutch mof "a muff," shortened from Middle Dutch moffel "mitten, muff," from  French moufle "mitten," from Old French mofle "thick glove, large mitten, handcuffs" (9c.), from Medieval Latin muffula

    Share spanner

    Advertisement
    Trending
    Dictionary entries near spanner
    Advertisement