dates of "make money"

Mark Mandel thnidu at GMAIL.COM
Wed Nov 21 23:27:52 UTC 2007


My sister asked me:

> I found myself puzzling upon this yesterday: Where does the phrase "to
make money" come from? We don't actually "make" it, we earn it, acquire it,
etc. Inquiring minds want to know.

Looking in OED Online for "make money" in full text, I found the phrase
under make, v.1, def. 26a, with a first cite with "money" from 1546 (and of
the exact phrase from 1588).
 26. trans.    a. To gain, acquire, or earn (money, reputation, etc.) by
labour, business, or the like. Often with from, of, out of (less commonly
by) and a noun.

1472 R. CALLE in Paston Lett. (1976) II. 356, I truste be Ester to make of
money..at the leeste l marke.
1546 O. JOHNSON in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eng. Hist. 2nd Ser. II. 175 Besides
the monney that I shal make of the said wares.
1583 T. STOCKER tr. Tragicall Hist. Ciuile Warres Lowe Countries II. 64
[They] furnished him with all the money they were able to make.
1588 R. PARKE tr. J. G. de Mendoza Hist. China 45 Then may the husband
afterwardes sell his wife for a slave, and make money of her for the dowrie
he gaue her.
[...] **

But I also found it under money, P2a(a), cited from 1457:

to make money: to acquire or earn money. Also: to get money by the sale of;
to make a profit (from, out of).

1457 W. WORCESTER in Paston Lett. (1976) II. 172 He..resseyvyth but chaffre
and waare for hys cornys and wollys, &c. and then most abyde a long day to
make money.

Is there a reason that the earlier cite isn't used under "make"?

m a m

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