O.E.
endleofan, lit. "one left" (over ten), from P.Gmc.
*ainlif- (cf. Goth.
ain-lif), a compound of
*ain "one" + PIE
*leikw- "leave, remain" (cf. Gk.
leipein "to leave behind;" see
relinquish). Viking survivors who escaped an Anglo-Saxon victory were
daroþa laf "the leavings of spears," while
hamora laf "the leavings of hammers" was an O.E. kenning for "swords" (both from "The Battle of Brunanburgh"). Eng.
twelve reflects the same formation; outside Gmc. the only instance of this formation is in Lith., which uses it all the way to 19 (
vienio-lika "eleven,"
dvy-lika "twelve,"
try-lika "thirteen,"
keturio-lika "fourteen," etc.) Phrase
eleventh hour is from Matthew xx:1-16.
FIREFLY: Give me a number from 1 to 10.
CHICOLINI: eleven!
FIREFLY: Right!