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Origin and history of subscribe

subscribe(v.)

early 15c., subscriben, "to sign at the bottom of a document" (a sense now rare); mid-15c., "give one's consent, bind oneself" (by subscribing one's name); from Latin subscribere "write, write underneath, sign one's name; register," also figuratively "assent, agree to, approve," from sub "underneath" (see sub-) + scribere "to write" (from PIE root *skribh- "to cut").

The sense of "give one's assent" (to) an opinion, theory, etc., is by 1540s. The meaning "promise to contribute money to" is by 1630s; and that of "become a regular buyer of (a publication)" 1711; both originally literal. Related: Subscribed; subscribing.

also from early 15c.

Entries linking to subscribe

subscriber(n.)

"one who subscribes," in any sense, 1590s, agent noun from subscribe. Used by Bell Telephone Company by 1878 in reference to customers who paid for a telephone line. Echoing letters to the editor, The Subscriber formerly was colloquial for one speaking or writing.

subscript(n.)

1704, "that which is written underneath" (rare), from Latin subscriptus, past participle of subscribere "write underneath" (see subscribe). As an adjective, "written beneath," by 1871. Related: Subscriptive.

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subscription
c. 1400, subscripcioun, "piece of writing at the end of a document," especially one's name or mark to attest to its authenticity, from Anglo-French subscripcion, Old French subscription (Modern French souscription) and directly from Latin subscriptionem (nominative subscriptio) "
support
late 14c., supporten, "to hold up, prop up, bear the weight of;" also "to aid" someone, "speak in support or advocacy of;" also "put up with, bear without opposition, endure without being overcome, tolerate," from Old French suporter "to bear, endure, sustain, support" (14c.) and
sign
early 13c., signe, "gesture or motion of the hand," especially one meant to express thought or convey an idea, from Old French signe "sign, mark," from Latin signum "identifying mark, token, indication, symbol; proof; military standard, ensign; a signal, an omen; sign in the heav
pledge
mid-14c., plegge, "surety, bail," from Old French plege (Modern French pleige) "hostage, security, bail," also Anglo-Latin plegium, both probably from Frankish *plegan "to guarantee," from *pleg-, a West Germanic root meaning "have responsibility for" (source also of Old Saxon pl
purchase
c. 1300, purchasen, "acquire, obtain; get, receive; procure, provide," also "accomplish or bring about; instigate; cause, contrive, plot; recruit, hire," from Anglo-French purchaser "go after," Old French porchacier "search for, procure; purchase; aim at, strive for, pursue eager
approve
c. 1300, apreven, approven, "to demonstrate, prove," from Old French aprover (Modern French approuver) "approve, agree to," from Latin approbare "to assent to as good, regard as good," from ad "to" (see ad-) + probare "to try, test something (to find if it is good)," from probus
sanction
1560s, "a law or decree," from Latin sanctionem (nominative sanctio) "act of decreeing or ordaining," also "a decree, an ordinance, a law," noun of action from past-participle stem of sancire "to decree, confirm, ratify, make sacred" (see saint (n.)). Originally especially of ecc
write
Old English writan "to score, outline, draw the figure of," later "to set down in writing" (class I strong verb; past tense wrat, past participle writen), from Proto-Germanic *writan "tear, scratch" (source also of Old Frisian writa "to write," Old Saxon writan "to tear, scratch,
tender
"soft, easily injured," early 13c., from Old French tendre "soft, delicate; young" (11c.), from Latin tenerem (nominative tener) "soft, delicate; of tender age, youthful," from a derivative of PIE root *ten- "to stretch," on the notion of "stretched," hence "thin," hence "weak" o
concord
early 14c., "agreement between persons, union in opinions or sentiment, state of mutual friendship, amiability," from Old French concorde (12c.) "concord, harmony, agreement, treaty," from Latin concordia "agreement, union," from concors (genitive concordis) "of the same mind," l

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