land

{{11}}land (n.) O.E. land, lond, "ground, soil," also "definite portion of the earth's surface, home region of a person or a people, territory marked by political boundaries," from P.Gmc. *landom (Cf. O.N., O.Fris. Du., Ger., Goth. land), from PIE *lendh- "land, heath" (Cf. O.Ir. land, Middle Welsh llan "an open space," Welsh llan "enclosure, church," Breton lann "heath," source of Fr. lande; O.C.S. ledina "waste land, heath," Czech lada "fallow land").

Etymological evidence and Gothic use indicates the original sense was "a definite portion of the earth's surface owned by an individual or home of a nation." Meaning early extended to "solid surface of the earth," which had been the sense of the root of Mod.Eng. EARTH (Cf. earth). Original sense of land in English is now mostly found under COUNTRY (Cf. country). To take the lay of the land is a nautical expression. In the Amer.Eng. exclamation land's sakes (1846) land is a euphemism for Lord.

{{12}}land (v.¹) "to bring to land," early 13c., from LAND (Cf. land) (n.). Originally of ships; of fish, in the angling sense, from 1610s; hence figurative sense of "to obtain" (a job, etc.), first recorded 1854. Of aircraft, attested from 1916. Related: Landed; landing.

{{12}}land (v.²) "to make contact, to hit home" (of a blow, etc.), by 1881, perhaps altered from LEND (Cf. lend) in a playful sense, or else an extension of LAND (Cf. land) (v.¹).