Etymology
1. O.E.
sped "success, prosperity, advancement," from P.Gmc.
*spodiz (cf. O.S.
spod "success," Du.
spoed "haste, speed," O.H.G.
spuot "success," O.S.
spodian "to cause to succeed," M.Du.
spoeden, O.H.G.
spuoten "to haste"), from PIE
*spo-ti- "speed," from
*spe- "to thrive, prosper" (cf. Skt.
sphayate "increases," L.
sperare "to hope," O.C.S.
spechu "endeavor," Lith.
speju "to have leisure"). Meaning "quickness of motion or progress" emerged in late O.E. (usually adverbially, in dative plural, e.g.
spedum feran), emerging fully in early M.E. Meaning "gear of a machine" is attested from 1866. Meaning "methamphetamine, or a related drug," first attested 1967, from its effect on users.
Speeder "one who drives fast" is recorded from 1891.
Speedometer is from 1904, a hybrid coined with Gk.
-metron;
speed bump is 1975; figurative sense is 1990s.
Full speed is recorded from 1382.
Speed reading first attested 1965.
Speedball "mix of cocaine and morphine or heroin" is recorded from 1909.
2. From Middle English speden, from Old English spēdan (“to speed, prosper, succeed, have success”), from Proto-West Germanic *spōdijan (“to succeed”).
3. Cognate with Scots spede, speid (“to meet with success, assist, promote, accomplish, speed”), Dutch spoeden (“to hurry, rush”), Low German spoden, spöden (“to hasten, speed”), German sputen, spuden (“to speed”). See: Middle English '
speden', Dutch '
spoeden', Low Saxon 'spoden', German, old spelling '
sputen'.
Verbs referencing "speed"
German, old spelling
sputen, Ukrainian
спіти.