sabotage

Where does the word "sabotage" come from? It comes from French sabot, passing through French before entering English (1910s).

Sabotage’s story begins in French: sabot meant “a wooden shoe.” A wooden clog worn by peasant workers. Within French, it grew into sabotage by 1890s. From saboter, to bungle or botch, literally to walk noisily as if in wooden shoes; the popular story that it derives from workers throwing sabots into machinery is a myth not supported by the word's actual usage history. It reached English by 1910s as sabotage. French 'sabot', wooden clog; the legend that strikers threw clogs into machines is popular but unproven. Today, sabotage means deliberate action to obstruct, damage, or hinder something.

1. Stage 1 · French · medieval sabot "a wooden shoe", a wooden clog worn by peasant workers.
2. Stage 2 · French · 1890s sabotage "deliberate destruction or obstruction", from saboter, to bungle or botch, literally to walk noisily as if in wooden shoes; the popular story that it derives from workers throwing sabots into machinery is a myth not supported by the word's actual usage history.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1910s sabotage "deliberate damage or disruption to hinder an effort", French 'sabot', wooden clog; the legend that strikers threw clogs into machines is popular but unproven.