enough English · revision 1819

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 888 (Old English)|origins=ine-pro *nek-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɪˈnʌf/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|inoh]], later [[m|enm|ynough]],^(Barnhart 1988) [[inh|ang|ġenōg]], also [[m|ang|ġenōh]],^(SOED 2002)^(Hoad 1986) from [[gem-pro|*ganōgaz]],^(Hoad 1986) a compound of the prefix [[m|gem-pro|*ga-]] (Old English [[m|ang|ġe-]]) and a root seen in the Old English verb [[m|ang|ġeneah|t=it suffices]].^(Hoad 1986)^(SOED 2002)^(Barnhart 1995) Its cognates are [[ofs|enōch]], [[osx|ginōg]], [[nl|genoeg]], [[goh|ginuog]] (modern [[de|genug]]), [[non|gnógr]] and [[got|𐌲𐌰𐌽𐍉𐌷𐍃|tr=ganōhs]].^(Barnhart 1995)^(SOED 2002) Etymonline calls it the most prominent surviving example of the Old English prefix [[m|ang|ġe-]].^(Etymonline) The root is [[ine-pro|*nek-|t=to reach, attain]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) also seen in [[la|nancīscī|t=to obtain]].^(Hoad 1986)^(Weekley 1921)^(MWU 2024) The inflected Old English forms gave [[enow]], which stayed in literary use until the 18th century.^(Hoad 1986)^(Weekley 1921) For the spelling with -gh pronounced /f/ see [[cough]].^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A sufficient quantity, as much as is needed (Old English, about 888).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old English ''ġenōg'' was already used as an adjective, a noun and an adverb meaning “sufficiently”.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Old English also used it in understatement, so that ''have had enough'' could mean “have had too much”.^(Etymonline) The weaker adverbial sense “moderately, fairly”, as in ''good enough'', developed in Middle English,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) and the interjection ''enough!'', “that is enough”, dates from about 1600.^(Etymonline) The colloquial ''’nough said'', ending a discussion, is recorded from 1839 in American English.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 888 – noun, a sufficient quantity.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 899 – Old English ''ġenōg'', sufficient (Alfred's ''Boethius'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1200 – Middle English ''inoh'' (Layamon).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1303 – ''ynough'' (Mannyng).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1600 – interjection, “that is enough”.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1839 – ''’nough said'' (American).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Determiner===

+ # As much or as many as needed: ''enough food for everyone''.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Pronoun===

+ # A sufficient amount: ''I've had enough''.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # To the necessary degree; sufficiently: ''warm enough''.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)

+ # Fairly, tolerably: ''sang well enough''.^(AHD)^(MWU 2024)

+ # Quite, very: ''glad enough to help''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Used to stress a remark: ''oddly enough''.^(Collins 2023)^(Chambers 2008)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # Used to tell someone to stop: ''Enough!''^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sure-enough]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[enow]]

+ * [[sufficient]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ As an adverb ''enough'' normally follows the word it modifies (''good enough''); in older and dialect use it could come before (''he was enough satisfied'').^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}