Worried
/ˈwɜːr.id/noun
Feeling anxious or troubled about something.
Did you know?The word 'worried' is linked to the Old English 'wyrgan', meaning 'to strangle', suggesting that anxiety can feel like a suffocating grip on the mind.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*wurgwō
“to strangle or choke, suggesting a suffocating concern.”
Old English
OE
wyrgan
“to strangle or constrict, indicating the oppressive feeling of anxiety.”
Middle English
ME
werien
“to strangle; to cause distress or anxiety.”
15th Century
Early Modern English
worried
“to be troubled or anxious, reflecting a shift to a more emotional context.”
Modern English
English
worried
“to express concern or anxiety, now commonly used in everyday language.”