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Origin and history of proposition

proposition(n.)

mid-14c., proposicioun, "a riddle" (a sense now obsolete); late 14c., in rhetoric, "a setting forth as a topic for discussion or discourse," from Old French proposicion "proposal, submission, (philosophical) proposition" (12c.), from Latin propositionem (nominative propositio) "a setting forth, statement, a presentation, representation; fundamental assumption," noun of action from past-participle stem of proponere "put forth, set forth, lay out, display, expose to view" (see propound). Meaning "action of proposing something to be done, an offered plan of action," is from late 14c. General sense of "matter, problem, undertaking" recorded by 1877. Related: Propositional; propositionally.

proposition(v.)

"make or present a proposition," 1914, from proposition (n.). The older verb is propose. Specifically of sexual favors by 1936. Related: Propositioned; propositioning.

also from 1914

Entries linking to proposition

propose(v.)

mid-14c., proposen, "form a design or intention;" late 14c., "put forward or offer for consideration;" from Old French proposer "propose, advance, suggest" (12c.), from pro "forth" (see pro-) + poser "put, place" (see pose (v.1)). The notion is "place before as something to be done." The French word took the place of Latin proponare (for this substitution, see pose (v.1)). The meaning "make an offer of marriage" is attested by 1764. Related: Proposed; proposing. See also propone, which coexisted with this word for a time.

propound(v.)

"put forward, offer for consideration," a mid-16c. variant of Middle English proponen "to put forward, assert" (c. 1400), from Latin proponere "put forth, set forth, lay out, display, expose to view," figuratively "set before the mind; resolve; intend, design," from pro "before" (see pro-) + ponere "to put" (see position (n.)). With unetymological -d, perhaps by influence of compound, expound. The Latin verb in French was superseded by the word that became English propose (for which change see pose (v.1)). Related: Propounded; propounding.

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    suggestion
    mid-14c., suggestioun, "action of prompting or urging," originally especially "a prompting to evil," from Anglo-French and Old French suggestioun "hint; temptation," from Latin suggestionem (nominative suggestio) "an addition, intimation, suggestion," noun of action from suggestu
    proffer
    c. 1300, proffren, "present oneself, appear; hand over;" mid-14c., "to make an offer or proposal," from Anglo-French profrier (mid-13c.), Old French poroffrir (11c.), from por- "forth" (from Latin pro; see pro-) + offrir "to offer," from Latin offerre (see offer (v.)). Related: P
    hypothesis
    1590s, "a particular statement;" 1650s, "a proposition, assumed and taken for granted, used as a premise," from French hypothese...use "basis of an argument, supposition," literally "a placing under," from hypo- "under" (see hypo-) + thesis "a placing, proposition...
    corollary
    late 14c., "a proposition inadvertently proved in proving another," from Late Latin corollarium "a deduction, consequence...from Latin corollarium, originally "money paid for a garland," hence "gift, gratuity, something extra;" and in logic, "a proposition...
    dilemma
    1520s in rhetoric (see below), from Late Latin dilemma, from Greek dilemma "double proposition," a technical term in rhetoric...A form of argument in which it is shown that whoever maintains a certain proposition must accept one or other of two alternative...conclusions, and that each of these involves the denial of the proposition in question....
    maxim
    The modern meaning "summary statement of an established or accepted proposition serving as a rule or guide, a proposition...
    thesis
    thesis "unaccented syllable in poetry," later (and more correctly) "stressed part of a metrical foot," from Greek thesis "a proposition...Sense in logic of "a formulation in advance of a proposition to be proved" is first recorded 1570s; that of "dissertation...
    Bertha
    fem. proper name, from Old High German Berahta, Perahta, the name of a goddess, literally "the bright one," from Old High German beraht "bright," related to Old English beorht (from PIE root *bhereg- "to shine; bright, white"). Soldiers' nickname Big Bertha for large-bore German
    breath
    Old English bræð "odor, scent, stink, exhalation, vapor" (the Old English word for "air exhaled from the lungs" was æðm), from Proto-Germanic *bræthaz "smell, exhalation" (source also of Old High German bradam, German Brodem "breath, steam"), perhaps [Watkins] from a PIE root *gw
    conserve
    "to keep safe, preserve from loss or decay," late 14c., from Old French conserver (9c.), from Latin conservare "to keep, preserve, keep intact, guard," from assimilated form of com-, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see com-), + servare "keep watch, maintain" (from PIE root *ser

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