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In this Adventure in Etymology we find out what connects the words furnish and perform.

To furnish [ˈfɜːnɪʃ / ˈfɝnɪʃ] means to provide a place with furniture, or other equipment, to supply or give (something), or to supply (somebody) with something.

It comes from Middle English furnishen (to fit out or equip, to provide or furnish), from Old French from fornir (to provide, carry out, discharge), from Frankish *frumjan (to accomplish, carry out), from Proto-Germanic *frumjaną (to perform, promote, accomplish), from PIE *promo- (front, forward), from *pro- (toward, forward) [source].

To perform means to do (something) in front of an audience, such as acting or music, often in order to entertain, to function, to work, to behave in certain ways, and various other things.

It comes from the same Frankish and Proto-Germanic roots as furnish, via Middle English parformen (to execute, carry out, perform, effect, finish), Anglo-Norman parformir and Old French parfornir [source].

Other words from the some Proto-Germanic roots include fournir (to supply, provide, furnish) in French, Furnier (veneer) in German, фанера (fanera – plywood, sound track) in Russian, fornecer (to supply, provide, furnish) in Portuguese, and form and furniture in English [source].

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I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog, and I explore etymological connections between Celtic languages on the Celtiadur blog.