eager English · revision 10403

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1275|origins=fro aigre|origins=la acer|origins=ine-pro *h₂eḱ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈiːɡə/ ''(UK)''; /ˈiɡɚ/, /ˈɪɡɚ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English egre, [[bor|fro|aigre|t=sour, sharp, keen, eager]], Anglo-Norman egre,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from Vulgar Latin *ācrus (source also of Italian agro and Spanish agrio),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from Latin ācer, sharp, keen, ardent (see [[acrid]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from PIE *ak-, to be sharp.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Impatient, keen; strenuous, ardent, fierce: about 1275 in Barnhart, the late 13th century in Etymonline.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Full of keen desire, the main modern sense, is from the early 14th century and seems peculiar to English.^(Etymonline) The physical senses, pungent, sour or tart (about 1350–74) and of cold, biting (1602, after Shakespeare), are obsolete or archaic.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The spelling eager began to appear at the end of the 16th century and was in general use by the later 17th.^(Barnhart 1988) ''Eager beaver'', a glutton for work, is American forces slang from 1943.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1275 – impatient, ardent.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * early 14th century – keenly desirous.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1350 – sour.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1602 – of cold, biting.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1943 – eager beaver.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Having or showing keen interest, desire or impatience.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(archaic)'' Tart, sharp or biting.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[eagerly]]

+ * [[eagerness]]

+ * [[overeager]]

+ * [[uneager]]

+ * [[eager beaver]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[acrid]]

+ * [[acid]]

+ * [[vinegar]]

+ * [[acerbic]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Eager is also a variant of [[eagre]], a tidal bore.^(AHD)^(OED 1989) In northern English and Cheshire dialect, eager meant angry.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}