fresh English · revision 3015

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 893|origins=gem-pro *friskaz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /freʃ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|fresh]], fersh,^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) [[inh|ang|fersc|t=not salt, unsalted, of water]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[gem-pro|*friskaz]],^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) the source also of Old Frisian fersk, Dutch vers, Old High German frisc (German frisch) and Old Norse ferskr.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) It is probably cognate with Old Church Slavonic prěsĭnŭ “fresh” and Lithuanian prėskas “sweet, unleavened”.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The modern form, with fre-, and the wider Middle English senses came under the influence of [[m|fro|freis|t=fresh]], feminine fresche,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998) which comes from the same Germanic word, as do Italian and Spanish fresco.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of water, not salt: about 893, in Alfred's translation of Orosius.^(Barnhart 1988) Of food, new and not preserved by salting, is from about 905 in the OED.^(OED 1989) In Middle English, from before 1200, it also meant “pure, sweet, eager”.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ When meat was salted to last through the winter, ''fresh'' meant “not salt”;^(Cresswell 2021) “new, recent” is from about 1300,^(Etymonline) “not stale or worn” from the early 14th century,^(Etymonline) and of memories from the mid-14th century.^(Etymonline) “Raw, inexperienced” is from 1595.^(OED 1989) Of the wind, “fairly strong”, is from the 16th century.^(Hoad 1986) The US slang sense “impudent, forward”, from 1848, is probably from German frech “insolent”;^(Etymonline) Word Origins says only that it may have been influenced by it.^(Cresswell 2021) ''Freshman'', “a novice”, is from about 1550,^(Barnhart 1988) ''freshet'' from 1596,^(Barnhart 1988) and ''freshen'' from 1697, in Dampier.^(Barnhart 1988) ''Fresh fields and pastures new'' is a misquotation of Milton's ''Lycidas''.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 893 – of water, not salt.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1200 – pure, eager.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1300 – new, recent.^(Etymonline)

+ * early 14th century – not stale.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1550 – ''freshman''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1595 – inexperienced.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1697 – ''freshen''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1848 – impudent (US slang).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Newly made, picked or obtained; not [[stale]] or spoiled.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Not preserved by [[canning]], smoking or freezing.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Of water, not salty.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # New or different: ''a fresh start''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Clean, cool and refreshing: ''fresh air''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Not tired; full of energy.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(informal)'' Too bold; [[impudent]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Recently; newly: ''fresh out of school''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[freshly]]

+ * [[freshness]]

+ * [[afresh]]

+ * [[freshwater]]

+ * [[freshen]]

+ * [[fresher]]

+ * [[freshman]]

+ * [[refresh]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fresco]]

+ * [[freshet]]

+ * [[alfresco]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}