A few days ago I saw a movie on TV which used the word, tup in the context of consummating a marriage. While I know that its original meaning was a ram, hence to do what rams do when they find a ewe, there seems to be no etymology for the word. Has anyone got an idea? And what does this say about the original use of Tupperware?

The online etymology dictionary has c.1300 as a first date, and says the word is of unknown origin. The same source gives 'Tupperware
1954, trademark (reg. U.S.), from Earl S. Tupper, president of Tupper Corp., + ware (n.). Patent claims use from 1950.'

I imagine Mr Tupper was unaware of the alternative meaning of his name.

I found one reference suggesting that it's Scottish in origin, but without a guess as to its raison d'etre. I've not observed any rams mounting ewes, so I don't know if there's anything onamatopoeic about it. Just some language flotsam, it seems.

Geoff, here is an entry in the OED about a Scottish proverb:

quote:

1721 J. Kelly Compl. Coll. Scotish Prov. 307 The Lamb where it's tipped, and the Ewe where she's clipped. A proverbial Rule about Tythes; signifying that the Lamb shall pay Tythes in the Place where the Ewe was when she took the Ram, but the old Sheep where they were shorn