Word Origin & History
treadO.E. tredan (class V strong verb; past tense træd, pp. treden), from P.Gmc. *tredanan (cf. O.Fris. treda, M.Du. treden, O.H.G. tretan, Ger. treten, Goth. trudan, O.N. troða). The noun is recorded from early 13c., from the verb; in reference to automobile tires, it is recorded from 1906. Treadmill
EXPANDinvented (and named) 1822 by William Cubitt of Ipswich, England; originally an instrument of prison discipline.
trodden"that has been stepped on," 1545, from pp. of
tread. The pp. was alt. from M.E. treden under infl. of M.E. pps. such as stolen from steal.
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