Origin and history of wiregrass

Old English græs, gærs "herb, plant, grass," from Proto-Germanic *grasan, which, according to Watkins, is from PIE *ghros- "young shoot, sprout," from root *ghre- "to grow, become green," thus related to grow and green, but not to Latin grāmen "grass, plant, herb." But Boutkan considers grāmen the only reliable cognate and proposes a substrate origin.

As a color name (especially grass-green, Old English græsgrene) by c. 1300. Sense of "marijuana" is recorded by 1932, American English. The grass skirt worn by people native to tropical regions is mentioned by 1874; the warning to keep off the grass by 1843 (in New York City's Central Park). Grass-fed of cattle, etc., (opposed to stall-fed) is from 1774.

Germanic cognates include Old Frisian gers "grass, turf, kind of grass," Old Norse, Old Saxon, Dutch, Old High German, German, Gothic gras, Swedish gräs "grass."

Middle English wir, from Old English wir "elastic metal drawn out into a strand or thread," from Proto-Germanic *wira- (source also of Old Norse viravirka "filigree work," Swedish vira "to twist," Old High German wiara "fine gold work"), from PIE root *wei- "to turn, twist, plait." In early use of fine gold filigree worn ornamentally in the hair, etc.

In reference to the metallic strings of a musical instrument from late 14c. A wire as marking the finish line of a racecourse is attested from 1883; hence the figurative down to the wire. Wire-rim, of eye-glasses, is by 1968 (mentioned with mini-skirts and sideburns as characteristic of high school students).

The sense of "line of wire as an electrical conduit" is by 1747. Specifically as "telegraph wire" by 1846, thus "telegraph system" generally (by 1859; also see wire (v.)). Hence also the journalistic wire service (by 1894), transmitting news to client papers by wire, and the wire generically in newsrooms for "news of the nation and world."