limb

• n. 四肢、腕、枝、茎
• vt.手足を切り落とす；枝を切り落とす
• n.(手足)人名；(朝)林；(英)利姆

古英語のlimb, limb, wing, twigから、PIE*lei, to change, to turnから、語源的にはlegと同じ、さらにPIE*skel, to bend, to turnから、語源的にはscoliosis, isoscelesと同じ。

limb

limb: [OE] The Old English word for ‘limb’ was lim. Like thumb, it later (in the 16th century) acquired an intrusive b, which has long since ceased to be pronounced. It has cognates in Swedish and Danish lem, and Dutch lid ‘limb’ is probably related too.

limb (n.1)

"part or member," Old English lim "limb, joint, main branch of a tree," from Proto-Germanic *limu- (cognates: Old Norse limr "limb," lim "small branch of a tree"), a variant of *litu- (source of Old English lit, Old Frisian lith, Old Norse lier, Gothic litus "a limb;" and with prefix ga-, source of German Glied "limb, member"), from PIE root *lei- "to bend, be movable, be nimble." The parasitic -b began to appear late 1500s for no etymological reason (perhaps by influence of limb (n.2)). In Old and Middle English, and until lately in dialects, it could mean "any visible body part."

The lymmes of generacion were shewed manyfestly. [Caxton, "The subtyl historyes and fables of Esope, Auyan, Alfonce, and Poge," 1484]

Hence, limb-lifter "fornicator" (1570s). To go out on a limb in figurative sense "enter a risky situation" is from 1897. Life and limb in reference to the body inclusively is from c. 1200.

limb (n.2)

late 14c., "edge of a quadrant or other instrument," from Latin limbus "border, hem, fringe, edge," of uncertain origin. Klein suggests cognate with Sanskrit lambate "hangs down," and English limp. But Tucker writes that "the sense appears to be that of something which twists, goes round, or binds ... not of something which hangs loose," and suggests cognates in Lithuanian linta "ribbon," Old Norse linnr "whether." Astronomical sense of "edge of the disk of a heavenly body" first attested 1670s.

1. Try to rest the injured limb as much as possible.

怪我をした腕をなるべく動かさないようにしてください。

2.She sat on a limb of the tree and looked down.

彼女は大きな枝の上に座って下を見ている。

3.His refusal to agree left him out on a limb .

彼は同意を拒否し、孤立した地位にある。

4.I risked life and limb to get here on time.

私は命の危険を冒して時間通りにここに着いた。

5.We tear the enemies limb from limb .

私たちは敵を猛撃します。