The word "succinct" comes from the Latin word "succinctus," which is the past participle of "succingere." The Latin verb "succingere" is composed of "sub-" meaning "under" or "up from below" and "cingere," meaning "to gird" or "to surround with a belt." Essentially, "succingere" means "to gird up" or "to tuck up" when preparing for activity or movement. This original sense of being "girded" or "tucked up" relates to being concise and to the point, as when one's garments are tucked up for ease of movement, so is speech or writing when it is shortened to the essentials. The figurative sense of being "brief" or "concise" evolved from this physical sense of being "girded up." The word passed into English from Latin through Middle French in the late 14th century.