das Gleis

(noun)

Meanings

1.
the track
(ONLY for train tracks. The "Gleis" can refer to the track at a station or to the actual metal beams. Etymologically, it comes from a root that was about a dragged track and it's related to "learn", believe it or not. )

Word Family tap to show/hide

The core idea of this root was:

track, furrow

From there, it shifted toward the broader sense of pursuit and eventually even further toward pursuit of knowledge.

Here’s a quick overview over English family members:

  • to learn (pursue a trace to knowledge)
  • lore (what is learned)
  • to last (follow a track, stay on track -> remain)
  • delirious (Originally “off track->crazy” in Latin)

The meaning of German leisten evolved from a sense of following directions, doing your work and then shifted a bit toward getting results.

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