Share
SHARE (O. Eng. scearu, chiefly in compounds, e.g. land-scearu, a share of land, from sceran to cut; cf. " shear" ), something cut off, a portion, a definite part of anything distributed among a number of persons. The word is particularly applied to the fixed and equal amounts into which the capital of a limited company is divided (see STOCKS AND SHARES; COMPANY; and DEBENTURES). From the same O. Eng. verb sceran is derived " share " (O. Eng. scear), the cutting blade of a plough (q.v.).
Note - this article incorporates content from Encyclopaedia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, (1910-1911)
