luwts, “to scoff,” strong’s H3887

First occurrence.

But they did not know that Joseph understood them, for he spoke to them through an interpreter. Gen 42:23

The primitive root.

Strong’s H3887  לוץ luwts, a primitive root meaning, “to scorn.” The ancient pictographs are lamed + vav + tsadey.

lamed ל = the shepherd’s staff, thus teach, yoke, to, bind
vav ו = the tent peg, thus add, secure, hook
tsadey צ, ץ = the trail, thus a man concealed, journey, chase, hunt

The parable the pictographs are telling is of authority (lamed) which hooks (vav) or ensnares covertly onto a path (tsadey).

The idea of interpretation comes from speaking in a foreign tongue, i.e. barbarously, according to Gesenius; thus speaking scornfully is to speak barbarously. The scornful tongue speaks with authority, whether it is true authority or not, in order to ensnare others onto his same path.

THE ANCIENT HEBREW LEXICON | INDEX OF HEBREW ROOTS