dwarf

dwarf
dwarf O.E. dweorh, dweorg (W.Saxon), duerg (Mercian), "very short human being," from P.Gmc. *dweraz (Cf. O.Fris. dwerch, O.S. dwerg, O.H.G. twerg, Ger. Zwerg, O.N. dvergr), perhaps from PIE *dhwergwhos "something tiny," but with no established cognates outside Germanic. The mythological sense is 1770, from German (it seems never to have developed independently in English).
Whilst in this and other ways the dwarfs do at times have dealings with mankind, yet on the whole they seem to shrink from man; they give the impression of a downtrodden afflicted race, which is on the point of abandoning its ancient home to new and more powerful invaders. There is stamped on their character something shy and something heathenish, which estranges them from intercourse with christians. They chafe at human faithlessness, which no doubt would primarily mean the apostacy from heathenism. In the poems of the Mid. Ages, Laurin is expressly set before us as a heathen. It goes sorely against the dwarfs to see churches built, bell-ringing ... disturbs their ancient privacy; they also hate the clearing of forests, agriculture, new fangled pounding-machinery for ore. ["Teutonic Mythology," Jacob Grimm, transl. Stallybrass, 1883]
The shift of the O.E. guttural at the end of the word to modern -f is typical (Cf. ENOUGH (Cf. enough), DRAFT (Cf. draft) ). O.E. plural dweorgas became M.E. dwarrows, later leveled down to dwarfs. The use of dwarves for the legendary race was popularized by J.R.R. Tolkien. The verb meaning "to render dwarfish" is from 1620s; that of "to cause to look small" is from 1850. Related: Dwarfed; dwarfing. As an adj., from 1590s.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Dwarf — may refer to: A person with dwarfism Dwarf (Germanic mythology), a being from Germanic mythology and folklore. Contents 1 Biology 2 Modern popular culture …   Wikipedia

  • dwarf — dwarf; dwarf·ish; dwarf·ism; dwarf·ling; dwarf·ness; sub·dwarf; semi·dwarf; dwarf·ish·ly; dwarf·ish·ness; …   English syllables

  • Dwarf — Dwarf, n.; pl. {Dwarfs}. [OE. dwergh, dwerf, dwarf, AS. dweorg, dweorh; akin to D. dwerg, MHG. twerc, G. zwerg, Icel. dvergr, Sw. & Dan. dverg; of unknown origin.] 1. An animal or plant which is much below the ordinary size of its species or kind …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • dwarf — n Dwarf, pygmy, midget, manikin, homunculus, runt are comparable when they mean an individual and usually a person of diminutive size. Dwarf is the general term not only for a human being but for any animal or plant that is definitely below the… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • dwarf — [dwôrf] n. pl. dwarfs or dwarves [dwôrvz] [ME dwerf, dwergh < OE dweorg, akin to Ger zwerg < IE * dhwergh , prob. < base * dhwer , to trick, injure > Sans dhvarati, (he) injures] 1. any human being, animal, or plant that is much… …   English World dictionary

  • Dwarf — Dwarf, v. i. To become small; to diminish in size. [1913 Webster] Strange power of the world that, the moment we enter it, our great conceptions dwarf. Beaconsfield. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • dwarf — [adj] miniature, tiny baby, diminutive, low, petite, pocket, small, undersized; concept 773 Ant. big, giant, huge, large dwarf [n] very small person bantam, dwarfling, homunculus, Lilliputian*, midget, Tom Thumb*; concept 424 Ant. giant dwarf …   New thesaurus

  • dwarf — ► NOUN (pl. dwarfs or dwarves) 1) a member of a mythical race of short, stocky human like creatures. 2) an abnormally small person. 3) (before another noun ) (of an animal or plant) much smaller than is usual for its type or species. 4) (also… …   English terms dictionary

  • Dwarf — Dwarf, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Dwarfed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Dwarfing}.] To hinder from growing to the natural size; to make or keep small; to stunt. Addison. [1913 Webster] Even the most common moral ideas and affections . . . would be stunted and… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • dwarf — dwarf. См. нанизм. (Источник: «Англо русский толковый словарь генетических терминов». Арефьев В.А., Лисовенко Л.А., Москва: Изд во ВНИРО, 1995 г.) …   Молекулярная биология и генетика. Толковый словарь.

  • dwarf — index lessen, minimize Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

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