The verb"shopping" derives from the noun shop. (An early case of verbing a noun) The noun comes "perhaps from O.E. scoppa 'booth or shed for trade or work' (rare), related to scypen "cowshed," from P.Gmc. *skoppan 'small additional structure' (cf. O.H.G. scopf 'building without walls, porch,' German dialectal Scopf 'porch, cart-shed, barn,'"
The dictionary goes on to point out that the above is ulikely and the work probably "was acquired from O.Fr. eschoppe 'booth, stall'"
I prefer to imagine I'm doing my Christmas shopping in a cowshed.
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