launch English · revision 3904

+ English has two words spelled ''launch'': “to throw, set going”, related to [[lance]], and the boat, from Spanish or Portuguese.^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /lɔːntʃ/, US /lɑːntʃ/, /lɔːntʃ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|hurl, set going}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1300|origins=la lancea}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|launchen]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) [[bor|fro-nor|lancher]], lanchier, corresponding to Old French lancier “to fling, hurl, throw”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from [[la-lat|lanceāre|t=to wield a lance]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[m|la|lancea|t=light spear]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The noun is from the verb.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) It is a doublet of the verb [[lance]].^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ “To rush, plunge, leap, start forth”: about 1300 in Etymonline^(Etymonline) and before 1300 in Barnhart, in Kyng Alisaunder.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ “To throw, hurl, let fly” is from the mid-14th century,^(Etymonline) and “to pierce, lance” from about 1400.^(OED 1989)^(Hoad 1986) “To set a boat afloat”, from the notion of throwing it out on the water, is from about 1400,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and it was generalized to any kind of beginning by 1600,^(Etymonline) as in launching an enterprise (1602).^(Barnhart 1988) It was applied to other vehicles, such as rockets, by 1873.^(Barnhart 1988) The noun, “a leap or a bound”, is from the mid-15th century (1440),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) the place where a boat is launched from 1711,^(Etymonline) the lift-off of a missile or spacecraft from 1935,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) the introduction of a new product from 1969,^(OED 1989) and the ''launch pad'' is attested from 1960.^(Etymonline) In dialect it meant “to take long strides” and was used of an eel trap.^(SOED 2002)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1300 – to rush, plunge.^(Etymonline)

+ * mid-14th century – to hurl.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1400 – to set a boat afloat.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1440 – noun, a leap.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1602 – to start an enterprise.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1873 – of other vehicles.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1935 – the launch of a missile.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1969 – of a product.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To throw or propel with force; to [[hurl]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To send off a rocket, missile or other self-propelled craft.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To put a boat into the water.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To set going; to [[initiate]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To introduce a product to the public or a market.^(AHD)

+ # To begin a new venture; to plunge into something: ''launched into a speech''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The act of launching.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[launcher]]

+ * [[launchpad]]

+ * [[relaunch]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|boat}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=borrowing|attested=1697|origins=ms lancharan}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The boat is [[bor|pt|lancha|t=barge, launch]] or Spanish lancha “pinnace”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)^(Hoad 1986) apparently from [[ms|lancharan]], from lanchar “quick, agile”;^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) if so, the English spelling was influenced by the verb launch.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The largest boat carried by a man-of-war: 1697 in the OED and Barnhart,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) the 1690s in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A large boat driven by steam or electricity, used for carrying passengers or for pleasure, is from 1865,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) and later a small motorboat.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1697 – a warship's largest boat.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1865 – a steam or electric boat.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A large boat carried by a warship.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # An open or half-covered [[motorboat]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lance]]

+ * [[lancer]]

+ * [[lancet]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}