Advertisement

Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

Origin and history of timing

timing(n.)

mid-13c., "a happening, circumstance, occurrence," verbal noun from time (v.). It is attested from 1590s as "the noting or recording of time," and by 1915 as "coordination of moving parts in a machinery" so operation will follow in proper order.

also from mid-13c.

Entries linking to timing

time(v.)

Middle English timen "happen, occur," from Old English getimian "happen, befall," from time (n.) in its original sense.

The meaning "appoint a time" (of an action, etc.) is attested from c. 1300; that of "arrange a time for" is from late 14c. Also "adapt to the time or occasion; bring, do, or start at just the right time" (mid-15c.).

The sense of "measure or record the time of" (a race, event, etc.) is attested by 1660s; that of "regulate as to time" is from 1861. Related: Timed; timing.

Times as an expression of multiplication is by late 14c. The multiplication times-table is attested by 1960.

    Advertisement

    Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

    Trends of timing

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

    More to explore

    finicky
    But finikin (1660s) "dainty, precise in trifles" has been proposed as a source, even though the timing is off....
    punch
    To punch the clock "record one's arrival at or departure from the workplace using an automated timing device" is from 1900...
    schedule
    late 14c., sedule, cedule "ticket, label, slip of paper with writing on it" (a sense now obsolete), from Old French cedule (Modern French cédule), from Late Latin schedula "strip of paper" (in Medieval Latin also "a note, schedule"), diminutive of Latin scheda, scida "one of the
    clock
    "machine to measure and indicate time mechanically" (since late 1940s also electronically), late 14c., clokke, originally "clock with bells," probably from Middle Dutch clocke (Dutch klok) "a clock," from Old North French cloque (Old French cloke, Modern French cloche "a bell"),
    influence
    late 14c., an astrological term, "streaming ethereal power from the stars when in certain positions, acting upon character or destiny of men," from Old French influence "emanation from the stars that acts upon one's character and destiny" (13c.), also "a flow of water, a flowing
    dale
    level or gently sloping ground between low hills with a stream flowing through it, Old English dæl "vale, valley, gorge," from Proto-Germanic *dalaz "valley" (source also of Old Saxon, Dutch, Gothic dal, Old Norse dalr, Old High German tal, German Tal "valley"), perhaps from PIE
    deal
    "a part or portion," Middle English del, from from Old English dæl "a part of a whole, a share;" with qualification (great, etc.), "an extent, degree, quantity, amount," from Proto-Germanic *dailaz (source also of Old Norse deild, Old Frisian del "part; juridical district," Dutch
    lade
    Old English hladan (past tense hlod, past participle gehladen) "to load, heap up, burden" (the general Germanic sense), also "to draw or take up water" (a meaning peculiar to English), from Proto-Germanic *hlathan- (source also of Old Norse hlaða "to pile up, load, especially a s
    lead
    "to guide," Old English lædan (transitive) "cause to go with oneself; march at the head of, go before as a guide, accompany and show the way; carry on; sprout forth, bring forth; pass (one's life)," causative of liðan "to travel," from Proto-Germanic *laidjanan (source also of Ol
    coordination
    also co-ordination, c. 1600, "orderly combination," from French coordination (14c.) or directly from Medieval Latin coordinationem (nominative coordinatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin coordinare "to set in order, arrange," from co- "with, together" (see com

    Share timing

    Advertisement

    Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

    Trending
    Dictionary entries near timing
    Advertisement

    Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

    Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.