Mort-gage

Jock — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 17:05:00 +0000

Courtesy of the OED:

[< Anglo-Norman and Middle French mortgage, mort gage (1283 in Old French; also as gage mort (1267); French mort-gage (now arch.)) < mort MORT a. + gage GAGE n.1, after post-classical Latin mortuum vadium (from 12th cent. in British sources) < mortuum, accusative of mortuus dead (see MORT a.) + vadium pledge (see INVADIATE v.). Middle French mort gage {goesto} post-classical Latin morgagium (from 14th cent. in British sources), mortgagium (a1564 in a British source).
Extended use (sense 1) is found slightly earlier in English than the technical legal sense (2); such extended use is app. not found in French, but may perh. have been developed in English directly from the legal use in Anglo-Norman and Middle French.
For the explanation of the etymological meaning of the term current among 17th-cent. lawyers, cf. the following:
1628 E. COKE First Pt. Inst. Lawes Eng. 205 It seemeth that the cause why it is called mortgage is, for that it is doubtful whether the Feoffor will pay at the day limited such summe or not, & if he doth not pay, then the Land which is put in pledge vpon condition for the payment of the money, is taken from him for euer, and so dead to him vpon condition, &c. And if he doth pay the money, then the pledge is dead as to the Tenant, &c.]

Parents to pass on mortgage debt:

A new mortgage allows parents to leave to their children not only their homes but their home loans as well.

Grip of Death, right enough.

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Mort-gage