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RegDwigнt
RegDwigнt
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I came across akimbo and askance today and wondered if they were related, with the opening 'a' signifying something. Apparently not:

Akimbo - to stand with hands on hips and elbows out, from the C15 in kenebowe, literally: in keen bow, that is, in a sharp curve.

Askance - to look sideways, obliquely, especially with suspicion or doubt: origin obscure.

  • Akimbo — to stand "with hands on hips and elbows projecting outwards", from the C15 in kenebowe, "literally: in keen bow, that is, in a sharp curve"
  • Askance — to look sideways, obliquely, especially with suspicion or doubt; origin obscure.

Other words take an 'a' prefix meaning a negative:

*

a- or an- [Greek a- and an- un-, non-] Negative Negative, not (abiotic, acaulescent, acephalia, aphasia, asexual, atrophy, anorexia).

But 'a' is also used as a prefix in words that are not negative, for example his knees were all atremble. What is the meaning of 'a''a-' here? Could it have connections with akimboakimbo and askanceaskance?

I came across akimbo and askance today and wondered if they were related, with the opening 'a' signifying something. Apparently not:

Akimbo - to stand with hands on hips and elbows out, from the C15 in kenebowe, literally: in keen bow, that is, in a sharp curve.

Askance - to look sideways, obliquely, especially with suspicion or doubt: origin obscure.

Other words take an 'a' prefix meaning a negative:

a- or an- [Greek a- and an- un-, non-] Negative, not (abiotic, acaulescent, acephalia, aphasia, asexual, atrophy, anorexia).

But 'a' is also used as a prefix in words that are not negative, for example his knees were all atremble. What is the meaning of 'a' here? Could it have connections with akimbo and askance?

I came across akimbo and askance today and wondered if they were related, with the opening 'a' signifying something. Apparently not:

  • Akimbo — to stand "with hands on hips and elbows projecting outwards", from the C15 in kenebowe, "literally: in keen bow, that is, in a sharp curve"
  • Askance — to look sideways, obliquely, especially with suspicion or doubt; origin obscure.

Other words take an 'a' prefix meaning a negative:

*

a- or an- [Greek a- and an- un-, non-] Negative, not (abiotic, acaulescent, acephalia, aphasia, asexual, atrophy, anorexia).

But 'a' is also used as a prefix in words that are not negative, for example his knees were all atremble. What is the meaning of 'a-' here? Could it have connections with akimbo and askance?

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Mynamite
Mynamite
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Any connection between akimbo, askance and atremble?

I came across akimbo and askance today and wondered if they were related, with the opening 'a' signifying something. Apparently not:

Akimbo - to stand with hands on hips and elbows out, from the C15 in kenebowe, literally: in keen bow, that is, in a sharp curve.

Askance - to look sideways, obliquely, especially with suspicion or doubt: origin obscure.

Other words take an 'a' prefix meaning a negative:

a- or an- [Greek a- and an- un-, non-] Negative, not (abiotic, acaulescent, acephalia, aphasia, asexual, atrophy, anorexia).

But 'a' is also used as a prefix in words that are not negative, for example his knees were all atremble. What is the meaning of 'a' here? Could it have connections with akimbo and askance?