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Origin and history of far-flung

far-flung(adj.)

1828, mainly in poetry, from far (adv.) + past tense of fling (v.).

also from 1828

Entries linking to far-flung

far(adv.)

Middle English fer, from Old English feor "to a great distance, long ago," from Proto-Germanic *ferro, from PIE root *per- (1), base of words for "through, forward," with extended senses such as "across, beyond" (source also of Sanskrit parah "farther, remote, ulterior," Hittite para "outside of," Greek pera "across, beyond," Latin per "through," Old Irish ire "farther"). Germanic cognates include Old Saxon fer, Old Frisian fir, Old Norse fiarre, Old High German fer, Gothic fairra.

For vowel change, see dark (adj.). Paired with wide to mean "everywhere" since 9c.

fling(v.)

c. 1300, "to dash, run, rush," probably from or related to Old Norse flengja "to flog," which is of uncertain origin, perhaps from Proto-Germanic *flang- (source also of Old Swedish flenga "strike," Danish flænge "slash, gash"), from a nasalized variant of PIE root *plak- (2) "to strike." Meaning "to throw, cast, hurl" is from mid-14c. An obsolete word for "streetwalker, harlot" was fling-stink (1670s). Related: Flung; flinging, but in Middle English with past tense flang, past participle flungen.

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