display

display
\ \ [14] Display originally meant ‘unfold’, and it is related not to modern English play but to ply. It comes via Old French despleier (whose modern French descendant, déployer, is the source of English deploy [18]) from Latin displicāre. This was a compound verb formed from the prefix dis- ‘un-’ and plicārefold’ (source of or related to English accomplish, complicated, ply, and simple), and in classical Latin seems only to have had the metaphorical meaning ‘scatter’. In medieval Latin, however, it returned to its underlying literal sense ‘unfold’, which was originally retained in English, particularly with reference to sails or flags. The notion of ‘spreading out’ is retained in splay, which was formed by lopping off the first syllable of display in the 14th century.
\ \ Cf.ACCOMPLISH, COMPLICATE, DEPLOY, PLY, SIMPLE

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Display — Display …   Deutsch Wörterbuch

  • Display — may refer to: Display (horse) (1923–1944), an American thoroughbred racehorse Display (zoology), a form of animal behaviour Display advertising, type that typically contains text, i.e., copy, logos, images, location maps, etc. Display case, also… …   Wikipedia

  • display — vb exhibit, *show, expose, parade, flaunt Analogous words: manifest, evidence, evince, demonstrate, *show: *reveal, disclose, discover Contrasted words: *disguise, cloak, mask, dissemble, camouflage: *hide, conceal, secrete …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Display — Dis*play , n. 1. An opening or unfolding; exhibition; manifestation. [1913 Webster] Having witnessed displays of his power and grace. Trench. [1913 Webster] 2. Ostentatious show; exhibition for effect; parade. [1913 Webster] He died, as erring… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • display — DISPLAY, displayuri, s.n. (inform., electron.) 1. Dispozitiv de vizualizare folosit ca periferic la calculatoare. 2. Afişaj optoelectronic care conţine un grup de cifre, folosit la instrumentele de măsură. 3. Caracter tipografic sau literă… …   Dicționar Român

  • display — ● display nom masculin (anglais display, exposition) Cartonnage publicitaire que l on destine à une vitrine, à un étalage ; présentoir. display [displɛ] n. m. ÉTYM. V. 1980; angl. display « exposition, étalage ». ❖ ♦ Anglic. Cartonnage… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • display ad — UK US noun [C] (UK also display advert) MARKETING ► a large colourful advertisement that is designed to attract people s attention: »The company is a leading provider of technology for delivering large display ads on websites and tracking who… …   Financial and business terms

  • Display — ([ˈdɪspleɪ] oder [dɪsˈpleɪ], engl. to display ‚anzeigen‘) bezeichnet: Anzeige (Technik), allgemein ein Bauteil zur Visualisierung Computermonitor, ein Peripheriegerät Display (Verkauf), eine Großverpackung zur Verkaufsförderung Display… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Display — Dis*play , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Displayed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Displaying}.] [OE. displaien, desplaien, OF. despleier, desploier, F. d[ e]ployer; pref. des (L. dis ) + pleier, ploier, plier, F. ployer, plier, to fold, bend, L. plicare. See {Ply},… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • display — [di splā′] vt. [ME displeien < OFr despleier < L displicare, to scatter, unfold < dis , apart + plicare, to fold: see PLY1] 1. Obs. to unfold; spread out; unfurl 2. to unfold to the eye; put or spread out so as to be seen; exhibit 3. to… …   English World dictionary

  • Display — Dis*play , v. i. To make a display; to act as one making a show or demonstration. Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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