-lock, suffixin mod. Eng. occurring only in wedlock, represents OE. -lác, the second element of numerous compounds (usually neuter: rarely masc.) in which the first element is a n. OE. had about a dozen of these compounds (those in which -lác means ‘offering’, lake n.¹, are not counted); in all these the second element may be rendered ‘actions or proceedings, practice’, as brýdlác nuptials, beadolác, feohtlác, heaðolác warfare, hǽmedlác, wiflác carnal intercourse, réaflác robbery, wedlác pledge-giving, also espousals, nuptials, wítelác punishment, wróhtlác calumny. The -lác of these compounds should probably be identified with lác play, sport, lake n.²; the words meaning ‘warfare’, which may have been the earliest examples of this use, may be compared with the synonymous compounds in -pleᵹa play. Of the OE. compounds of lác three (brýdlác, feohtlác, réaflác) survived into early ME., and wedlác still survives with altered meaning. In ME. the suffix was sometimes assimilated in form to the etymologically equivalent but functionally distinct Scandinavian -laik. A few examples, not recorded in OE., appear in early ME.: dweomerlak (demerlayk), ferlac, shendlac, treulac, wohlac (cf. wouhleche), the last from a vb.-stem, woȝ- to woo; but none of these survived later than the 14th century.

-lock /lɒk/ suffix (not productive). OE.

ORIGIN: Old English -lac.

Forming nouns, mostly long obs., now only in wedlock, with the sense ‘actions or proceedings, practice’.

☞ lock

-lock

Suffix

no longer productive action or proceeding, practice, ritual

Etymology

From Middle English -lok, -lak, -lac, from Old English -lāc (suffix denoting activity or action), from Proto-Germanic *laiką (“play, sport, activity”), from Proto-Indo-European *leig-, *loig- (“to bounce, shake, make tremble”).

The etymology of the suffix is the same as that of the noun lāc "play, sport", also "sacrifice, offering", corresponding to obsolete Modern English lake (dialectal laik) "sport, fun, glee, game", cognate to Gothic laiks "dance", Old Norse leikr "game, sport" and Old High German leih "play, song, melody" (> Old French lai "song, lyric, poem, lay"). Ultimately, the word descends from Proto-Germanic *laikaz. Old English līcian ("to please", Modern English like) is from the same root. In modern English, the noun has been reintroduced through the cognate Swedish lek as a specialist term referring to mating behaviour.

Thus, the suffix originates as a second member in nominal compounds, and referred to "actions or proceedings, practice, ritual" identical with the noun lāc "play, sport, performance" (obsolete Modern English lake "fun, sport, glee", obsolete or dialectal Modern German Leich).

Derived terms

bridelock

wedlock

词汇	-lock
词根词缀	OED SOED WBD Wiktionary -lock, suffixin mod. Eng. occurring only in wedlock, represents OE. -lác, the second element of numerous compounds (usually neuter: rarely masc.) in which the first element is a n. OE. had about a dozen of these compounds (those in which -lác means ‘offering’, lake n.¹, are not counted); in all these the second element may be rendered ‘actions or proceedings, practice’, as brýdlác nuptials, beadolác, feohtlác, heaðolác warfare, hǽmedlác, wiflác carnal intercourse, réaflác robbery, wedlác pledge-giving, also espousals, nuptials, wítelác punishment, wróhtlác calumny. The -lác of these compounds should probably be identified with lác play, sport, lake n.²; the words meaning ‘warfare’, which may have been the earliest examples of this use, may be compared with the synonymous compounds in -pleᵹa play. Of the OE. compounds of lác three (brýdlác, feohtlác, réaflác) survived into early ME., and wedlác still survives with altered meaning. In ME. the suffix was sometimes assimilated in form to the etymologically equivalent but functionally distinct Scandinavian -laik. A few examples, not recorded in OE., appear in early ME.: dweomerlak (demerlayk), ferlac, shendlac, treulac, wohlac (cf. wouhleche), the last from a vb.-stem, woȝ- to woo; but none of these survived later than the 14th century. -lock /lɒk/ suffix (not productive). OE. ORIGIN: Old English -lac. Forming nouns, mostly long obs., now only in wedlock, with the sense ‘actions or proceedings, practice’. ☞ lock -lock Suffix no longer productive action or proceeding, practice, ritual Etymology From Middle English -lok, -lak, -lac, from Old English -lāc (suffix denoting activity or action), from Proto-Germanic laiką (“play, sport, activity”), from Proto-Indo-European leig-, loig- (“to bounce, shake, make tremble”). The etymology of the suffix is the same as that of the noun lāc* "play, sport", also "sacrifice, offering", corresponding to obsolete Modern English lake (dialectal laik) "sport, fun, glee, game", cognate to Gothic laiks "dance", Old Norse leikr "game, sport" and Old High German leih "play, song, melody" (> Old French lai "song, lyric, poem, lay"). Ultimately, the word descends from Proto-Germanic laikaz. Old English līcian* ("to please", Modern English like) is from the same root. In modern English, the noun has been reintroduced through the cognate Swedish lek as a specialist term referring to mating behaviour. Thus, the suffix originates as a second member in nominal compounds, and referred to "actions or proceedings, practice, ritual" identical with the noun lāc "play, sport, performance" (obsolete Modern English lake "fun, sport, glee", obsolete or dialectal Modern German Leich). Derived terms bridelock wedlock
随便看	legitimacy legitimate legitimation legitimism legitimist legitimize leg, legis legless leg-, lex Lego legume leguminous leg up leg-warmer leg-work lei lei- Leica Leicester leid- leig- leigh- Leila leio- leio-, lei-, li-, lio-