Английский Этимологический словарь - tie (n.)

- O.E. teag, from P.Gmc. *taugo, from PIE *deuk- "pull." Meaning "equality between competitors" is first found 1680, from notion of a connecting link. Sense of "necktie, cravat" first recorded 1761. The railway sense of "transverse sleeper" is from 1857, Amer.Eng. The verb is from O.E. tigan, tiegan. In the noun sense of "connection," tie-in dates from 1934.