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Origin and history of toolkit

toolkit(n.)

also tool-kit, "a set of tools," especially in one place and for a particular operation; 1908, from tool (n.) + kit (n.1).

also from 1908

Entries linking to toolkit

kit(n.1)

late 13c., "round wooden tub," perhaps from Middle Dutch kitte "jug, tankard, wooden container," a word of unknown origin. Meaning "collection of personal effects," especially for traveling (originally in reference to a soldier), is from 1785, a transfer of sense from the chest to the articles in it; that of "outfit of tools for a workman" is from 1851. Of drum sets, by 1929. Meaning "article to be assembled by the buyer" is from 1930s. The soldier's stout kit-bag is from 1898.

tool(n.)

Middle English tol, from Old English tol "mechanical instrument for manual use, implement used by a craftsman or laborer, weapon," from Proto-Germanic *tōwalan "implement" (source also of Old Norse tol), from a verb stem represented by Old English tawian "prepare" (see taw).

The ending is the instrumental suffix -el (1).

BOSWELL. 'I think Dr. Franklin's definition of Man a good one —"A tool making animal." ' JOHNSON. 'But many a man never made a tool ; and suppose a man without arms, he could not make a tool.' [Boswell's Life of Johnson]

The figurative sense of "that which is used as a means to some end," especially "person used by another for his own ends" is recorded from 1660s.

In figurative use instrument is generally employed in a good sense, but tool in a dishonorable and contemptuous sense ; we speak of a man as the instrument of Providence, or as a mere tool of cunning men. [Century Dictionary, 1891]

The meaning "sex organ" is by early 15c.; specifically as "penis" by 1550s in slang. As "useless or shiftless fellow," in slang by 1700.

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    condescend
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    resolve
    late 14c., resolven, "melt, dissolve, reduce to liquid; separate into component parts; alter, alter in form or nature by application of physical process," " intransitive sense from c. 1400; from Old French resolver or directly from Latin resolvere "to loosen, loose, unyoke, undo;
    portmanteau
    1580s, "flexible traveling case or bag for clothes and other necessaries," from Middle French portemanteau "traveling bag," originally "court official who carried a prince's mantle" (1540s), from porte, imperative of porter "to carry" (see porter (n.1)) + manteau "cloak" (see man
    syncope
    1520s, "contraction of a word by omission of middle sounds or letters," from Latin syncope "contraction of a word by elision," from Greek synkopē "contraction of a word," literally "a cutting off, cutting up, cutting short," from synkoptein "to cut up." This is from syn- "togethe
    chorus
    1560s, in drama, "person who speaks the prologue and explains or comments on events on stage," from Latin chorus "a dance in a circle, the persons singing and dancing, the chorus of a tragedy," from Greek khoros "round dance; dancing-place; band of dancers; company of persons in
    defect
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    procrastination
    "a putting off to a future time; dilatoriness," 1540s, from French procrastination (16c.) and directly from Latin procrastinationem (nominative procrastinatio) "a putting off from day to day," noun of action from past-participle stem of procrastinare "put off till tomorrow, defer
    culture
    mid-15c., "the tilling of land, act of preparing the earth for crops," from Latin cultura "a cultivating, agriculture," figuratively "care, culture, an honoring," from past participle stem of colere "to tend, guard; to till, cultivate" (see colony). Meaning "the cultivation or re

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