Kids get grounded, airplanes get grounded, and electricity gets grounded. Who, or what, got “grounded” first? And I already know that kids got grounded before airplanes were invented and electricity discovered. But when was the word “grounded” first used?
I’ve always been under the impression that kids getting grounded came from the aviation term. Grounded pilots can’t fly, grounded kids can’t go out and have fun.
The OED gives the oldest meaning to none of the three:
First cite, 1548.
There was also a meaning of “knowledgeable” (first cite, 1613)
“Placed in contact with the ground” dates from 1784
Finally the electrical meaning:
First cite, 1884, most likely from “Placed in contact with the ground.”
It’s first used for an airplane in 1939.
“Grounded” meaning “not allowed to go out” isn’t listed, but is much later than that.
This question wasn’t inspired by the recent Fox Trot, was it?
No. I don’t even know what that is.
“Ground” in the electrical sense comes from a physical connection to earth ground, quite often by literally driving a hunk of metal (like a copper rod) into the ground and attaching a wire to it. The term has morphed a bit over the years to sometimes mean “common reference point” which may or may not have a true connection to earth ground, but originally the term did mean an electrical contact in the dirt.
The new OED will have “grounded” in the sense of “Cecil! You’re grounded!” from only 1950.
I was referring to this.