oakum

Etymology

Came into English from Late Middle English okom, okome (“oakum”), and other forms, which developed from Old English ācumba (“oakum”, literally “that which has been combed out, off-combings”), and other forms, from ācemban (“to comb out”). This in turn goes back to Proto-Germanic *uz- (from Proto-Indo-European *ud-s-, *ūd- (“out; up”), or *h₂ew- (“away from, off”)) plus *kambijaną (“to comb”), ultimately from *ǵómbʰos (“row of teeth; tooth; peg”), *ǵembʰ- (“nail; tooth; to gnaw through; to pierce”). See also out and comb.