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How did kid + nap come to mean abduct? [closed]
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Why do the words kid and nap become kidnap as a meaning of abduct, when did that take form and why?
Additionally, if nap is really nab, why did nab become nap?
meaning phrase-meaning history
asked Aug 30 at 7:10
Shmuel
24910
closed as off-topic by Kris, David Richerby, Mari-Lou A, tchrist♦ Aug 31 at 2:25
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – Kris, David Richerby, Mari-Lou A, tchrist
add a comment |Â
up vote
7
down vote
favorite
Why do the words kid and nap become kidnap as a meaning of abduct, when did that take form and why?
Additionally, if nap is really nab, why did nab become nap?
meaning phrase-meaning history
asked Aug 30 at 7:10
Shmuel
24910
closed as off-topic by Kris, David Richerby, Mari-Lou A, tchrist♦ Aug 31 at 2:25
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – Kris, David Richerby, Mari-Lou A, tchrist
2
Have you looked up the word in a good dictionary (and maybe, further)?
– Kris
Aug 30 at 11:29
2
@Shmuel Google now finds etymology results. That means that, if you are curious about the origin of words, you can find a lot of them by just googling<word> etymology. It won't find every case, but it's a good quick starting point :)
– xDaizu
Aug 30 at 12:11
So if you haven't even looked in a dictionary, would you agree that the downvote reason "does not show any research effort" apply?
– pipe
Aug 30 at 12:34
@pipe Educating users that they should research before asking is good, but some users don't get the rhetorical question - "tone is hard to decipher online". Just use "normal sentence" instead.
– user314366
Aug 30 at 13:30
@user314366 It is not a rhetorical question - it's a genuine question I would like an answer to. I have seen that some users show a complete disregard for any policies but other users are simply not aware of them.
– pipe
Aug 30 at 13:35
add a comment |Â
up vote
7
down vote
favorite
up vote
7
down vote
favorite
Why do the words kid and nap become kidnap as a meaning of abduct, when did that take form and why?
Additionally, if nap is really nab, why did nab become nap?
meaning phrase-meaning history
asked Aug 30 at 7:10
Shmuel
24910
Why do the words kid and nap become kidnap as a meaning of abduct, when did that take form and why?
Additionally, if nap is really nab, why did nab become nap?
meaning phrase-meaning history
asked Aug 30 at 7:10
Shmuel
24910
edited Aug 30 at 7:52
asked Aug 30 at 7:10
Shmuel
24910
asked Aug 30 at 7:10
Shmuel
24910
asked Aug 30 at 7:10
Shmuel
24910
24910
closed as off-topic by Kris, David Richerby, Mari-Lou A, tchrist♦ Aug 31 at 2:25
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – Kris, David Richerby, Mari-Lou A, tchrist
closed as off-topic by Kris, David Richerby, Mari-Lou A, tchrist♦ Aug 31 at 2:25
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – Kris, David Richerby, Mari-Lou A, tchrist
2
Have you looked up the word in a good dictionary (and maybe, further)?
– Kris
Aug 30 at 11:29
2
@Shmuel Google now finds etymology results. That means that, if you are curious about the origin of words, you can find a lot of them by just googling<word> etymology. It won't find every case, but it's a good quick starting point :)
– xDaizu
Aug 30 at 12:11
So if you haven't even looked in a dictionary, would you agree that the downvote reason "does not show any research effort" apply?
– pipe
Aug 30 at 12:34
@pipe Educating users that they should research before asking is good, but some users don't get the rhetorical question - "tone is hard to decipher online". Just use "normal sentence" instead.
– user314366
Aug 30 at 13:30
@user314366 It is not a rhetorical question - it's a genuine question I would like an answer to. I have seen that some users show a complete disregard for any policies but other users are simply not aware of them.
– pipe
Aug 30 at 13:35
add a comment |Â
2
Have you looked up the word in a good dictionary (and maybe, further)?
– Kris
Aug 30 at 11:29
2
@Shmuel Google now finds etymology results. That means that, if you are curious about the origin of words, you can find a lot of them by just googling<word> etymology. It won't find every case, but it's a good quick starting point :)
– xDaizu
Aug 30 at 12:11
So if you haven't even looked in a dictionary, would you agree that the downvote reason "does not show any research effort" apply?
– pipe
Aug 30 at 12:34
@pipe Educating users that they should research before asking is good, but some users don't get the rhetorical question - "tone is hard to decipher online". Just use "normal sentence" instead.
– user314366
Aug 30 at 13:30
@user314366 It is not a rhetorical question - it's a genuine question I would like an answer to. I have seen that some users show a complete disregard for any policies but other users are simply not aware of them.
– pipe
Aug 30 at 13:35
2
2
Have you looked up the word in a good dictionary (and maybe, further)?
– Kris
Aug 30 at 11:29
Have you looked up the word in a good dictionary (and maybe, further)?
– Kris
Aug 30 at 11:29
2
2
@Shmuel Google now finds etymology results. That means that, if you are curious about the origin of words, you can find a lot of them by just googling
<word> etymology. It won't find every case, but it's a good quick starting point :)– xDaizu
Aug 30 at 12:11
@Shmuel Google now finds etymology results. That means that, if you are curious about the origin of words, you can find a lot of them by just googling
<word> etymology. It won't find every case, but it's a good quick starting point :)– xDaizu
Aug 30 at 12:11
So if you haven't even looked in a dictionary, would you agree that the downvote reason "does not show any research effort" apply?
– pipe
Aug 30 at 12:34
So if you haven't even looked in a dictionary, would you agree that the downvote reason "does not show any research effort" apply?
– pipe
Aug 30 at 12:34
@pipe Educating users that they should research before asking is good, but some users don't get the rhetorical question - "tone is hard to decipher online". Just use "normal sentence" instead.
– user314366
Aug 30 at 13:30
@pipe Educating users that they should research before asking is good, but some users don't get the rhetorical question - "tone is hard to decipher online". Just use "normal sentence" instead.
– user314366
Aug 30 at 13:30
@user314366 It is not a rhetorical question - it's a genuine question I would like an answer to. I have seen that some users show a complete disregard for any policies but other users are simply not aware of them.
– pipe
Aug 30 at 13:35
@user314366 It is not a rhetorical question - it's a genuine question I would like an answer to. I have seen that some users show a complete disregard for any policies but other users are simply not aware of them.
– pipe
Aug 30 at 13:35
add a comment |Â
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
up vote
9
down vote
accepted
From etymology online:
Kidnap: https://www.etymonline.com/word/kidnap#etymonline_v_1845
1680s, thieves' cant, a compound of kid (n.) "child" and nap (v.) "snatch away," which probably is a variant of nab (v.). Perhaps a back-formation from kidnapper, which is recorded earlier. Originally "to steal children to provide servants and laborers in the American colonies."
Nab: https://www.etymonline.com/word/nab
"to catch (someone)," 1680s, probably a variant of dialectal nap "to seize, catch, lay hold of" (1670s, now surviving only in kidnap), which possibly is from Scandinavian
when did that take form and why?
There is no mystery behind it. Nap is a spelling variant of nab.
answered Aug 30 at 7:27
ubi hatt
2,194319
3
In the words of Terry Pratchett,It's written in Old, before they invented spelling.
– Separatrix
Aug 30 at 14:29
@Separatrix One of my many favorite Pratchett quotes.
– xLeitix
Aug 30 at 14:40
Those who are down voting should also explain the reason.
– ubi hatt
Aug 31 at 16:03
add a comment |Â
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
9
down vote
accepted
From etymology online:
Kidnap: https://www.etymonline.com/word/kidnap#etymonline_v_1845
1680s, thieves' cant, a compound of kid (n.) "child" and nap (v.) "snatch away," which probably is a variant of nab (v.). Perhaps a back-formation from kidnapper, which is recorded earlier. Originally "to steal children to provide servants and laborers in the American colonies."
Nab: https://www.etymonline.com/word/nab
"to catch (someone)," 1680s, probably a variant of dialectal nap "to seize, catch, lay hold of" (1670s, now surviving only in kidnap), which possibly is from Scandinavian
when did that take form and why?
There is no mystery behind it. Nap is a spelling variant of nab.
answered Aug 30 at 7:27
ubi hatt
2,194319
3
In the words of Terry Pratchett,It's written in Old, before they invented spelling.
– Separatrix
Aug 30 at 14:29
@Separatrix One of my many favorite Pratchett quotes.
– xLeitix
Aug 30 at 14:40
Those who are down voting should also explain the reason.
– ubi hatt
Aug 31 at 16:03
add a comment |Â
up vote
9
down vote
accepted
From etymology online:
Kidnap: https://www.etymonline.com/word/kidnap#etymonline_v_1845
1680s, thieves' cant, a compound of kid (n.) "child" and nap (v.) "snatch away," which probably is a variant of nab (v.). Perhaps a back-formation from kidnapper, which is recorded earlier. Originally "to steal children to provide servants and laborers in the American colonies."
Nab: https://www.etymonline.com/word/nab
"to catch (someone)," 1680s, probably a variant of dialectal nap "to seize, catch, lay hold of" (1670s, now surviving only in kidnap), which possibly is from Scandinavian
when did that take form and why?
There is no mystery behind it. Nap is a spelling variant of nab.
answered Aug 30 at 7:27
ubi hatt
2,194319
3
In the words of Terry Pratchett,It's written in Old, before they invented spelling.
– Separatrix
Aug 30 at 14:29
@Separatrix One of my many favorite Pratchett quotes.
– xLeitix
Aug 30 at 14:40
Those who are down voting should also explain the reason.
– ubi hatt
Aug 31 at 16:03
add a comment |Â
up vote
9
down vote
accepted
up vote
9
down vote
accepted
From etymology online:
Kidnap: https://www.etymonline.com/word/kidnap#etymonline_v_1845
1680s, thieves' cant, a compound of kid (n.) "child" and nap (v.) "snatch away," which probably is a variant of nab (v.). Perhaps a back-formation from kidnapper, which is recorded earlier. Originally "to steal children to provide servants and laborers in the American colonies."
Nab: https://www.etymonline.com/word/nab
"to catch (someone)," 1680s, probably a variant of dialectal nap "to seize, catch, lay hold of" (1670s, now surviving only in kidnap), which possibly is from Scandinavian
when did that take form and why?
There is no mystery behind it. Nap is a spelling variant of nab.
answered Aug 30 at 7:27
ubi hatt
2,194319
From etymology online:
Kidnap: https://www.etymonline.com/word/kidnap#etymonline_v_1845
1680s, thieves' cant, a compound of kid (n.) "child" and nap (v.) "snatch away," which probably is a variant of nab (v.). Perhaps a back-formation from kidnapper, which is recorded earlier. Originally "to steal children to provide servants and laborers in the American colonies."
Nab: https://www.etymonline.com/word/nab
"to catch (someone)," 1680s, probably a variant of dialectal nap "to seize, catch, lay hold of" (1670s, now surviving only in kidnap), which possibly is from Scandinavian
when did that take form and why?
There is no mystery behind it. Nap is a spelling variant of nab.
answered Aug 30 at 7:27
ubi hatt
2,194319
edited Aug 31 at 2:08
answered Aug 30 at 7:27
ubi hatt
2,194319
answered Aug 30 at 7:27
ubi hatt
2,194319
answered Aug 30 at 7:27
ubi hatt
2,194319
2,194319
3
In the words of Terry Pratchett,It's written in Old, before they invented spelling.
– Separatrix
Aug 30 at 14:29
@Separatrix One of my many favorite Pratchett quotes.
– xLeitix
Aug 30 at 14:40
Those who are down voting should also explain the reason.
– ubi hatt
Aug 31 at 16:03
add a comment |Â
3
In the words of Terry Pratchett,It's written in Old, before they invented spelling.
– Separatrix
Aug 30 at 14:29
@Separatrix One of my many favorite Pratchett quotes.
– xLeitix
Aug 30 at 14:40
Those who are down voting should also explain the reason.
– ubi hatt
Aug 31 at 16:03
3
3
In the words of Terry Pratchett,
It's written in Old, before they invented spelling.– Separatrix
Aug 30 at 14:29
In the words of Terry Pratchett,
It's written in Old, before they invented spelling.– Separatrix
Aug 30 at 14:29
@Separatrix One of my many favorite Pratchett quotes.
– xLeitix
Aug 30 at 14:40
@Separatrix One of my many favorite Pratchett quotes.
– xLeitix
Aug 30 at 14:40
Those who are down voting should also explain the reason.
– ubi hatt
Aug 31 at 16:03
Those who are down voting should also explain the reason.
– ubi hatt
Aug 31 at 16:03
add a comment |Â
2
Have you looked up the word in a good dictionary (and maybe, further)?
– Kris
Aug 30 at 11:29
2
@Shmuel Google now finds etymology results. That means that, if you are curious about the origin of words, you can find a lot of them by just googling
<word> etymology. It won't find every case, but it's a good quick starting point :)– xDaizu
Aug 30 at 12:11
So if you haven't even looked in a dictionary, would you agree that the downvote reason "does not show any research effort" apply?
– pipe
Aug 30 at 12:34
@pipe Educating users that they should research before asking is good, but some users don't get the rhetorical question - "tone is hard to decipher online". Just use "normal sentence" instead.
– user314366
Aug 30 at 13:30
@user314366 It is not a rhetorical question - it's a genuine question I would like an answer to. I have seen that some users show a complete disregard for any policies but other users are simply not aware of them.
– pipe
Aug 30 at 13:35