Meaning and usage of the word retch in English

The word "retch" originated in the Old English language, where it was spelled as "rascian" or "rescian". Its Old English meaning was "to tear, to rend". The Old English verb "rascian" came from the Germanic languages' root "raxs-", which meant "rough, jagged". Over time, the meaning and spelling of the word began to change. In Middle English, the term was spelled as "rasten" and "resten", and its primary meaning had shifted to describe the act of vomiting. The Middle English verb "rasten" came from the Old French word "restreindre", which meant "to wind, to twist". In Modern English, the word "retch" still describes the act of vomiting, with the spelling having been further simplified. Despite the change in pronunciation and meaning, the root "raxs-" from Old English can still be seen in the word, as the "ch" sound is a combination of the letter "x" and the letter "h" from Old English. In summary, "retch" evolved from its Old English origin as "rascian", a rough or jagged tearing, to its current meaning as a violent act of expelling contents from the stomach caused by nausea. This linguistic evolution highlights the fluid and dynamic nature of language, where words can take on new meanings and forms over time.