thank English · revision 2000

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725 (Beowulf)|origins=gem-pro *þankaz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /θæŋk/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|thanken]], [[inh|ang|þancian|t=to give thanks; to reward]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[gem-pro|*þankōjanan]],^(Etymonline) a verb from [[m|gem-pro|*þankaz|t=thought; gratitude]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) the source also of the Old English noun [[m|ang|þanc|t=thought, good will, gratitude]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) Its cognates are [[ofs|thankia]], [[osx|thancōn]], [[nl|danken]], [[goh|danchōn]] (modern [[de|danken]]) and [[non|þakka]].^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966) The noun has a cognate in [[got|𐌸𐌰𐌲𐌺𐍃|tr=þagks|t=thought, gratitude]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) The word is related to [[think]] as [[song]] is to [[sing]],^(Etymonline) and Etymonline traces both to [[ine-pro|*tong-|t=to think, feel]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To give thanks to, to recompense or reward: Old English ''þancian'' is recorded about 725, in ''Beowulf''.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Old English noun ''þanc'' first meant “thought” and then “good thoughts, good will, gratitude”,^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) much as Old High German ''minna'' “loving memory” first meant “memory”.^(Etymonline) Middle English ''thanken'' meant “to express gratitude to” by about 1200.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The plural ''thanks'' for an expression of gratitude is from before 1250,^(Barnhart 1988) and ''thank you'', short for ''I thank you'', is 15th century.^(Hoad 1986) The ironical sense “to blame” (''you have only yourself to thank'') is from the 1550s, and ''thank someone for nothing'' from 1703.^(Etymonline) ''Thanksgiving'' was a giving of thanks in Tyndale (1533) and a day of thanksgiving by 1632, and ''Thanksgiving Day'' is recorded from 1674.^(Barnhart 1988) ''Thankful'' (1375) continues Old English ''þancfull'' “grateful, content”, and ''thankless'' is from 1536.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – Old English ''þancian'' (''Beowulf'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1175 – ''thanken''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1200 – to express gratitude to.^(Etymonline)

+ * before 1250 – ''thanks''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1375 – ''thankful''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 15th century – ''thank you''.^(Hoad 1986)

+ * 1533 – ''thanksgiving'' (Tyndale).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1536 – ''thankless''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1550s – ironically, to blame.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1560 – to credit, hold responsible.^(HTOED)

+ * 1674 – ''Thanksgiving Day''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1703 – ''thank someone for nothing''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To express [[gratitude]] to: ''thank her for the gift''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To hold responsible; credit or blame: ''he has only himself to thank''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # In exclamations of relief: ''thank goodness''.^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''I'll thank you to'', used ironically to stress a demand: ''I'll thank you to leave''.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[thanker]]

+ * [[pickthank]]

+ * [[thankful]]

+ * [[thankless]]

+ * [[thanksgiver]]

+ * [[thankworthy]]

+ * [[rethank]]

+ * [[unthanked]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[thanks]]

+ * [[think]]

+ * [[thought]]

+ * [[thanksgiving]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}