horseshoe

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun game equipment consisting of an open ring of iron used in playing horseshoes
  2. noun U-shaped plate nailed to underside of horse's hoof
  3. verb equip (a horse) with a horseshoe or horseshoes

Etymology

A metal horseshoe (noun sense 1) Calks (identified by the letter "C" on the shown horseshoe) consist of spur-point and a shank to form an antislipping device. Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Indo-European *ḱr̥sós? Proto-Indo-European *h₁wers-? Proto-Indo-European *wers- Proto-Indo-European *-ḗn Proto-Indo-European *wérsēn Proto-Indo-Iranian *(w)ŕ̥šā Proto-Iranian *(w)ŕ̥šāder.? Proto-Germanic *hrussą Proto-West Germanic *hross Old English hors Middle English hors Proto-Germanic *skōhaz Proto-West Germanic *skōh Old English sċōh Middle English scho Middle English horsscho English horseshoe Inherited from Middle English horsscho, from hors + scho. By surface analysis, horse + shoe.

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