umbrage English · revision 1938

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈʌm.bɹɪd͡ʒ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It comes from Middle English ''umbrage'' “shade”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) [[bor|fro|ombrage|t=shade, shadow]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) [[der|la|umbraticum]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) the neuter of ''umbraticus'' “of shade”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from [[la|umbra|t=shade, shadow]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) It is related to [[umbrella]] and [[umbra]].^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Shade or shadow (1426).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word was especially used of the shade of trees, and of their foliage.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) It had many figurative uses in the 17th century.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) From 1604 it meant a shadowy appearance or faint trace of something,^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989) and by 1620 a suspicion that one has been slighted,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from the notion of being overshadowed by another.^(Etymonline) So ''to take umbrage'', recorded from the 1670s or 1680,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995) means to take offence.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) Etymonline compares the modern slang ''throw shade'' (by 2013).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1426 – shade, shadow.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1540–1 – shade cast by trees.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1604 – a shadowy appearance or trace.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1620 – resentment at a slight.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1624 – a feeling of suspicion or doubt (obsolete).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1657 – foliage affording shade.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1680 – ''take umbrage at''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Offence or resentment, especially at a supposed slight, chiefly in ''take umbrage''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Shade or shadow, or foliage that gives shade.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A vague indication or hint; a slight suspicion.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[umbrageous]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[umbrella]]

+ * [[umbra]]

+ * [[penumbra]]

+ * [[sombre]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}