endorse

Meanings

Verb

• To express support or approval, especially officially or publicly.
• To write one's signature on the back of a cheque, or other negotiable instrument, when transferring it to a third party, or cashing it.
• To give an endorsement.
• To report (a symptom); to describe.

Noun

• A diminutive of the pale, usually appearing in pairs on either side of a pale.

Origin

• Alteration influenced by Medieval Latin indorso of Middle English endosse, from Old French endosser ("to put on back"), from Latin dossum, alternative form of dorsum, from which also dorsal. That is, the ‘r’ was dropped in dossum, which developed into Old French and then endosse, and then the ‘r’ was re-introduced into English via the Medieval Latin indorsare, which had retained the ‘r’. Note that the alternative spelling indorse also uses the initial ‘i’ from Latin (in-, rather than en-), but this form is now rare.