Why is an oven called a range?
 

I was out looking for an old electric oven to powder coat and noticed many are called a range? Where did that come from?

Other weird things are some call a dresser a chest of drawers?

Just left overs from the good ole days?

Why is it called a shipment if it goes by car? Why is it called cargo if it goes by ship?

Why do you drive on a parkway and park on a driveway?

I knew this was going to happen,lol But true, why do you launder a washcloth?

A better question (to me anyway) is why some call a chest of drawers called a dresser ???

Why is a couch sometimes called a davenport?

Why are pants sometimes trousers?

When you're at home on it.

the gas or el-trick range has the ability to have a controlled range of temperatures
something the old wood or coal stoves did not

A pair of pants?

DingDingDING.....We have a WINNER!!!

A dresser is a double column of drawers that can be used to...dress a child on.

A chest of drawers is a taller single column of drawers.

At least that's what I was told.

Why do you recite at a play, but play at a recital?

Why do you park in the driveway, but drive on the parkway?

I've lost a sock but I've never lost a pant.

Are they my pants pockets, my pant's pockets or my pant pockets?

Did I tear my pant leg, my pants leg, or my pant's leg?

The term is surprisingly old. It denotes the 'range' of options for cooking on a stove with different size burners.

Here in Los Angeles, we also park on the parkways...

If those little candy dots used in baking are called "non-pariels", what are "pariels"?

Why do they want me to liquor? I don't even know her.

Etymology is an interest of mine. I checked all my sources and came up with nothing more than this, "The cooking appliance so called since mid-15c., for unknown reasons."

Why is a cook-top called a hob?