traffic

traffic
traffic (n.) c.1500, "trade, commerce," from M.Fr. trafique (mid-15c.), from It. traffico (early 14c.), from trafficare "carry on trade," of uncertain origin, perhaps from a V.L. *transfricare "to rub across" (from L. trans- "across" + fricare "to rub"), with the original sense of the Italian verb being "touch repeatedly, handle." Or the second element may be an unexplained alteration of L. facere "to make, do." Klein suggests ultimate derivation of the Italian word from Arabic tafriq "distribution." Meaning "people and vehicles coming and going" first recorded 1825. The verb is from 1540s (and preserves the original commercial sense). Traffic jam is 1917, ousting earlier traffic block (1895).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Traffic — on roads may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the public way for purposes of travel. Traffic laws are the laws which govern traffic and regulate… …   Wikipedia

  • Traffic — Traf fic, n. [Cf. F. trafic, It. traffico, Sp. tr[ a]fico, tr[ a]fago, Pg. tr[ a]fego, LL. traficum, trafica. See {Traffic}, v.] 1. Commerce, either by barter or by buying and selling; interchange of goods and commodities; trade. [1913 Webster] A …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • traffic — traf·fic 1 n often attrib 1 a: import and export trade b: the business of bartering or buying and selling c: illegal or disreputable usu. commercial activity the drug traffic 2 a: the movement (as of vehicles or pedestrians) through an area or… …   Law dictionary

  • traffic — [traf′ik] n. [Fr trafic < It traffico < trafficare, to trade < L trans, across +It ficcare, to thrust in, bring < VL * figicare, intens. for L figere: see FINISH] 1. Archaic a) transportation of goods for trading b) trading over great …   English World dictionary

  • Traffic — (englisch für „Verkehr“) bezeichnet: das Datenaufkommen bei Computernetzwerken, siehe Datenverkehr eine Rockband, siehe Traffic (Band) einen Kinofilm von Steven Soderbergh, siehe Traffic – Macht des Kartells Traffic (Fernsehserie), eine… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Traffic — Основная информация …   Википедия

  • traffic — [n1] coming and going cartage, flux, freight, gridlock, influx, jam, movement, parking lot*, passage, passengers, rush hour, service, shipment, transfer, transit, transport, transportation, travel, truckage, vehicles; concepts 224,505,770 traffic …   New thesaurus

  • Traffic — Traf fic, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Trafficked}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Trafficking}.] [F. trafiquer; cf. It. trafficare, Sp. traficar, trafagar, Pg. traficar, trafegar, trafeguear, LL. traficare; of uncertain origin, perhaps fr. L. trans across, over +… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Traffic — Traf fic, v. t. To exchange in traffic; to effect by a bargain or for a consideration. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • traffic in — index deal, handle (trade), sell Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

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