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Origin and history of repercussion

repercussion(n.)

early 15c., repercussioun, "act of driving back," from Old French répercussion (14c.) or directly from Latin repercusionem (nominative repercussio), noun of action from past-participle stem of repercutere "to strike or beat back; shine back, reflect; echo," from re- "back" (see re-) + percutere "to strike or thrust through" (see percussion).

Originally in medicine (Chauliac) with a specific sense of "act of driving back humors." Meaning "reverberation, echo" first recorded 1590s; the metaphoric extension is recorded from 1620s.

also from early 15c.

Entries linking to repercussion

percussion(n.)

early 15c., percussioun, "a striking, a blow; internal injury, contusion," from Latin percussionem (nominative percussio) "a beating, striking; a beat as a measure of time," noun of action from past participle stem of percutere "to strike hard, beat, smite; strike through and through," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + quatere "to strike, shake" (see quash).

In reference to musical instruments sounded by a stroke or blow, attested by 1776 (instrument of percussion). In medical diagnosis, "a method of striking or tapping the surface of the body to determine the condition of the organs in the region struck," by 1781.

The art of percussion, besides, although very simple in appearance, requires long practice, and a dexterity which few men can acquire. The slightest difference in the angle under which the fingers strike the thorax, may lead one to suspect a difference of sound which in reality does not exist. ["Laennec's New System of Diagnosis," in Quarterly Journal of Foreign Medicine and Surgery, November 1819]
repercuss(v.)

early 15c. (Chauliac), "reduce swelling by repelling the humor causing it," from Latin repercusus, past participle of repercutere "to strike or beat back" (see repercussion). General sense of "beat or drive back" is from c. 1500. Related: Repercussed; repercussing.

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repercussive
late 14c., repercussif, "having the power to drive back" (originally in medicine, in reference to excessive concentrations of a humor), from Old French repercussif and directly from Medieval Latin repercussivus, from Latin repercuss-, past-participle stem of repercutere "to strik
reverberation
late 14c., reverberacioun, "reflection of light or heat, repercussion of air," from Old French reverberacion "great flash of light; intense quality" and directly from Medieval Latin reverberationem (nominative reverberatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin rever
recoil
c. 1200, recoilen, transitive, "force back, drive back, beat back" (senses now archaic or obsolete); c. 1300, intransitive, "shrink back, retreat," from Old French reculer "to go back, give way, recede, retreat" (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *reculare, from Latin re- "back" (see re-)
motion
late 14c., mocioun, "process of moving; change of place, continuous variation of position;" also "suggestion, proposal or proposition formally made," from Old French mocion "movement, motion; change, alteration" (13c., Modern French motion) and directly from Latin motionem (nomin
movement
late 14c., mevement, "change of position; passage from place to place," from Old French movement "movement, exercise; start, instigation" (Modern French mouvement), from Medieval Latin movimentum, from Latin movere "to move, set in motion" (from PIE root *meue- "to push away"). I
resilience
1620s, "act of rebounding or springing back," often of immaterial things, from Latin resiliens, present participle of resilire "to rebound, recoil," from re- "back" (see re-) + salire "to jump, leap" (see salient (adj.)). Compare result (v.). In physical sciences, the meaning "el
bounce
early 13c., bounsen "to thump, hit," a word of uncertain origin, perhaps from Dutch bonzen "to beat, thump," or Low German bunsen, or imitative. The sense probably has been influenced by bound (v.). In 17c., "to talk big, bluster; bully, scold." The meaning "to bound like a ball"
result
early 15c., resulten, "occur as a result, arise as a consequence of facts, arguments, etc.," from Latin resultare "to spring forward, rebound" (in Medieval Latin "to result"), a frequentative from the past participle of resilire "to rebound" (see resilience). The etymological sen
luster
"gloss, radiance, quality of shining by reflecting light," 1520s, from French lustre "gloss, radiance" (14c.), common Romanic (cognates: Spanish and Portuguese lustre, Rumanian lustru, Italian lustro "splendor, brilliancy"), a noun ultimately from Latin lustrare "spread light ove
rustle
"to emit soft, rapid sounds when in motion," late 14c. (implied in rustling "moving about noisily"), a word of uncertain origin, perhaps imitative (compare Middle Low German ruschen, Middle Dutch ruusscen, German rauschen "to rustle"). Related: Rustled; rustling. The meaning "ste

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