quword 趣词
Word Origins Dictionary
- perform[perform 词源字典]
- perform: [14] If the word perform had carried on as it started out, it would now be perfurnish (as indeed it was in northern and Scottish English from the 14th to the 16th centuries). For it comes ultimately from Old French parfournir, a compound verb formed from the intensive prefix par- and fournir ‘accomplish’ (source of English furnish). By association with forme ‘form’, this was altered in Anglo-Norman to parformer – whence English perform.
=> furnish[perform etymology, perform origin, 英语词源] - perform (v.)
- c. 1300, "carry into effect, fulfill, discharge," via Anglo-French performer, altered (by influence of Old French forme "form") from Old French parfornir "to do, carry out, finish, accomplish," from par- "completely" (see per-) + fornir "to provide" (see furnish).
Theatrical/musical sense is from c. 1600. The verb was used with wider senses in Middle English than now, including "to make, construct; produce, bring about;" also "come true" (of dreams), and to performen muche time was "to live long." Related: Performed; performing.