The word kidnap was first recorded in 1666.
It referred to the criminal practice of enticing children or apprentices to come away and be sold to sea captains who took them to British colonies to be sold as slaves, laborers, or indentured servants.
Kid was an underworld reference to a child, while nap, a variation of nab, means to seize or steal.
Today, kidnap means to abduct either a child or an adult.
A kid is a young goat, and that is the origin of the word’s slang use for a child.
“Kidding around” is acting childish.
Related Posts
-
Where does the word “kidnap” come from and What does kidnap mean?
We like to think that all those who flocked to North America from England after the founding of Jamestown and Plymouth came eagerly and of their own accord. That was far from the…
-
Why Couldn’t King John II of France Pay His Own Ransom?
John II was king of France during one of the nation's wars with England. He was captured by the English in 1356 at the Battle of Poitiers. Since he was a king, the…
-
Did the Croatans kill or kidnap the English settlers of the lost colony of Roanoke?
It was discovered years later that a group of Native Americans calling themselves Croatans inhabited the hills of North Carolina and still do to this day. Some of these tribesmen, although very much…
-
What does the word mugwump mean and Where does the word “mugwump” originate?
John Eliot, so-called "apostle to the Indians," had many difficulties when, in the middle of the seventeenth century, he was translating the Bible into the Indian language. There were so many words for…
-
What Does the Word “Restaurant” Mean In French and How Did the Word For Dining Room Originate?
Up until 1765, diners were offered only what innkeepers chose to serve. But then, a Paris chef named Boulanger began offering a choice of nourishing soups to passersby and on a board hanging…
-
How Did the Word “Tip” Originate and What Does the Word For a Gratuity Mean In German?
The word "tip" is not an acronym for "To Insure Promptness." In the 1800s a tip was understood to be a bribe. As insider information, tip first appeared in the seventeenth century and…
