Etymology
1. O.E.
team "set of draft animals yoked together," from P.Gmc.
*taumaz (cf. O.N.
taumr, O.Fris.
tam, Du.
toom, O.H.G.
zoum, Ger.
Zaum "bridle"), probably lit. "that which draws," from
*taugmaz "action of drawing," from series
*taukh-, *tukh-, *tug-, represented by O.E.
togian "to pull, drag" (see tow), from PIE
*deuk- "pull" (related to L.
ducere "to lead;" see duke). Applied to people in O.E., especially "group of people acting together to bring suit."
Team spirit is recorded from 1928.
Teamwork is recorded from 1828 in the lit. sense, 1909 in the extended sense.
2. From Middle English tem, teem, teme, from Old English tēam (“child-bearing, offspring, brood, set of draught animals”), from Proto-West Germanic *taum, from Proto-Germanic *taumaz (“that which draws or pulls”), from Proto-Germanic *taugijaną, *tugōną, *teuhōną, *teuhaną (“to lead, bring, pull, draw”), from Proto-Indo-European *dewk- (“to pull, lead”). Cognate with Scots team, teem (“a chain, harness”), Saterland Frisian Toom (“bridle; breeding”), West Frisian team (“bridle, team”), Dutch toom (“bridle, reins, flock of birds”), German Low German Toom (“bridle”), German Zaum (“bridle”), Danish tømme (“rein”), Swedish töm (“leash, rein”). More at teem, tie, tow. See: Proto-Germanic '
*taugijaną', Danish '
tømme'.