Why is taxying called taxying ?
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Here's one possible answer:
taxi - 1907, shortening of taximeter cab (introduced in London in March 1907), from taximeter "automatic meter to record the distance and fare" (1898), from Fr. taximètre, from Ger. Taxameter, from M.L. taxa "tax, charge." The verb is 1911, from earlier noun use as slang for "aircraft." An earlier Eng. form was taxameter (1894), used in horsedrawn cabs. Taxicab is also first attested 1907. Taxi squad in U.S. football is 1966, from a former Cleveland Browns owner who gave his reserves jobs with his taxicab company to keep them paid and available.
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cbl
taxi - 1907, shortening of taximeter cab (introduced in London in March 1907), from taximeter "automatic meter to record the distance and fare" (1898), from Fr. taximètre, from Ger. Taxameter, from M.L. taxa "tax, charge." The verb is 1911, from earlier noun use as slang for "aircraft." An earlier Eng. form was taxameter (1894), used in horsedrawn cabs. Taxicab is also first attested 1907. Taxi squad in U.S. football is 1966, from a former Cleveland Browns owner who gave his reserves jobs with his taxicab company to keep them paid and available.
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cbl
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I believe that this dates back to early days of the First World War and the Royal Flying Corps. It was very difficult to taxi the early biplanes and a man on each wingtip was often required, especially when pilots were being trained to manoeuvre on the ground. The RFC commandeered a number of taxis, bolted wings on to them and used these vehicles for training instead. Hence taxying!
Iconoclast
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Does not show the derivation but it explains what it is.
Main Entry: 2taxi
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): tax·ied; taxi·ing or taxy·ing; tax·is or tax·ies
Date: 1916
intransitive senses
1 a of an aircraft : to go at low speed along the surface of the ground or water b : to operate an aircraft on the ground under its own power
2 : to ride in a taxicab
transitive senses
1 : to transport by or as if by taxi
2 : to cause (an aircraft) to taxi
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): tax·ied; taxi·ing or taxy·ing; tax·is or tax·ies
Date: 1916
intransitive senses
1 a of an aircraft : to go at low speed along the surface of the ground or water b : to operate an aircraft on the ground under its own power
2 : to ride in a taxicab
transitive senses
1 : to transport by or as if by taxi
2 : to cause (an aircraft) to taxi
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Derivation of Taxying
Well, my ten pen'orth is that one of the Greek derivations of "TAX" is "Movement". Not just any old movement but particulary a "weaving or bending movement" as in Taxacea for the Sequoia tree. That fits quite nicely with a taxying taildragger.
OK, it's only a guess....
OK, it's only a guess....
