A Share Was Once a Cut
A share is a portion allotted to someone. The Old English behind it means a cutting, from the same root as shear.
A share is a portion allotted to one person out of a larger whole. The image is of cutting: Old English *scearu* meant a cutting or division, from the same root as *shear* and *shore* — a shore is where the land is cut off by the sea, and a *ploughshare* is the blade that cuts the soil. The financial sense, a unit of ownership in a company, is a natural extension: the company is divided into equal cuts.
- A portion. *An equal share.*
- A unit of ownership. *Company shares.*
- To divide with others. *Share the cost.*
- Ploughshare — the cutting blade. *A ploughshare.*
- Old English — *scearu*, a cutting. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | share | A share. |
| Plural | shares | Shares. |
| Verb | share | Share it. |
| Agent | shareholder | A shareholder. |
| Related | shear | Shear. |
- Each got an equal share.Portion.
- He bought shares in the company.Finance.
- A ploughshare cuts the soil.Etymology.
The cutting family
- Share — a cut portion
- Shear — to cut, especially wool
- Shore — where land is cut off by water
- Ploughshare — the cutting blade of a plough
- Short — from a related root meaning cut off
Old English *scearu*, a cutting or division, from the Germanic root behind *shear*.
Are share and shear related?
Yes. Both come from a root meaning to cut. A share is a cut portion of a whole.
What is a ploughshare?
The cutting blade of a plough, which slices through the soil ahead of the mouldboard.