Past tense of utter, meaning to speak or vocalize words, sounds, or expressions. Often implies speaking with some effort, emotion, or significance.
From Middle English 'outeren,' from 'outer' meaning to put forth or emit. Related to 'out,' the word originally meant to put something outside oneself, evolving to specifically mean expressing thoughts or sounds vocally.
To 'utter' something is literally to put it 'out there' - the word contains the journey from internal thought to external expression. Medieval speakers understood that utterances had power; once words were uttered, they existed in the world and could not be taken back.
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