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Origin and history of reckoning

reckoning(n.)

early 14c., rekening, "a narration, account," verbal noun from reckon (v.). The meaning "a settling of accounts" is from mid-14c.; that of "act of counting or computing, a calculation" is from late 14c. as is the sense of "a bill of charges" (in an inn, tavern, etc.). Compare Dutch rekening "a bill, account, reckoning," Old High German rechenunga, German rechnung, Danish regning "a reckoning, computation."

The general sense is "a summing up," whether in words or numbers. In nautical use from 1660s: "Calculation of the position of a ship from the rate as determined by the log and the course as determined by the compass." Day of reckoning is attested from c. 1600; the notion is of rendering an account of one's life and conduct to God at death or judgment.

also from early 14c.

Entries linking to reckoning

reckon(v.)

c. 1200, recenen, rekenen, "enumerate, count up; name one by one; relate, recount; make calculations," from Old English gerecenian "to explain, relate, recount; arrange in order," from Proto-Germanic *(ga)rakinaz "ready, straightforward" (source also of Old Frisian rekenia, Middle Dutch and Dutch rekenen, Old High German rehhanon, German rechnen, Gothic rahnjan "to count, reckon"), from PIE root *reg- "move in a straight line," with derivatives meaning "to direct in a straight line," thus "to lead, rule."

The intransitive sense of "make a computation, cast up an account" is from c. 1300. From 1550s as "take into account." In I reckon the sense is "hold as a supposition or opinion, regard, consider as being," and the expression, used parenthetically, dates from c. 1600 and formerly was in literary use (Richardson, Swift, Jowett, etc.), but came to be associated with U.S. Southern dialect and thereafter was regarded by Anglophiles as provincial or vulgar. Related: Reckoned; reckoning.

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. [Romans viii.18]
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    calculation
    late 14c., calculacioun, "art, manner, or practice of computing by numbers," also "the process of making a horoscope," from Late Latin calculationem (nominative calculatio) "a computation, calculation, reckoning," noun of action from past-participle stem of calculare "to reckon,
    computation
    c. 1400, "act, process, or method of arithmetical calculation," from Latin computationem (nominative computatio), noun of action from past participle stem of computare "to sum up, reckon, compute," from com "with, together" (see com-) + putare "to reckon," originally "to prune,"
    tally
    mid-15c., talie, "scored stick used in record-keeping, piece of wood marked with notches or scores to indicate amount owed or paid," also the record kept on it, from Anglo-French tallie (early 14c., Old French taille "notch in a piece of wood signifying a debt"), Anglo-Latin tale
    calculus
    mathematical method of treating problems by the use of a system of algebraic notation, 1660s, from Latin calculus "reckoning..., account," originally "pebble used as a reckoning counter," diminutive of calx (genitive calcis) "limestone" (see chalk...
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    to do with the fourth," especially of attacks of an intermittent fever, etc., "occurring every fourth day" (by inclusive reckoning...Under inclusive reckoning, both days of consecutive occurrence are counted (if you have it on Wednesday and again on Saturday...
    quinquennial
    In the inclusive reckoning that prevailed in the ancient world, the equivalent words meant "recurring every five years,"...reckoning both years of occurrence (by our uses, it would be "recurring every four years"), so that the Olympian games were...
    syllogism
    literally "think together," from assimilated form of syn- "together" (see syn-) + logizesthai "to reason, count," from logos "a reckoning...
    include
    early 15c., "to shut (someone or something) in materially, enclose, imprison, confine," also "to have (something) as a constituent part," from Latin includere "to shut in, enclose, imprison, insert," from in- "in" (from PIE root *en "in") + claudere "to shut" (see close (v.)). Th
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    "that which is obtained or offered as the reward of exertion or contest; reward or symbol of victory," spelling alteration of Middle English prise (c. 1300 in this sense), from Old French pris "price, value, worth; reward" (see price (n.)). Figuratively, "anything worth striving
    anticipate
    1530s, "to cause to happen sooner," a back-formation from anticipation, or else from Latin anticipatus, past participle of anticipare "take (care of) ahead of time," literally "taking into possession beforehand," from anti, an old form of ante "before" (from PIE root *ant- "front

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