Etymologically
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обрѣсти

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Forms

обрѣсти (obrěsti) pf[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Slavic *obrěsti (“to find”), formed with *ob and an obscure element *rět-.[2][1][3] The verb survives in Serbo-Croatian obresti (“to find”) (13th–16th century) and Slovene obrésti, and as a learned word in Russian обрести́ (obrestí).[2][3] The same element is much more common with the prefix *sъ-, in сърѣсти and its outcomes, such as sresti and Czech střetnout, to meet.[3]

ESJS calls the etymology unclear and weighs two explanations.[3] The first, of Schmidt, Brückner, Brugmann and Skok, joins the element to Lithuanian rasti (“to find”), with Ancient Greek εὑρίσκω (heurískō, “to find”), Old Armenian գերեմ (gerem, “to capture”) and Old Irish words for finding added by Brugmann and Klingenschmitt, from a root extended in Balto-Slavic by a dental.[3][1] The second, of Vaillant, Stang and Bezlaj, links it to Old Irish rethid (“runs”) and the root of Latin rota (“wheel”), with a shift from coming upon something to finding it in the prefixed verb.[3][4] Sadnik and Aitzetmüller prefer a comparison with Lithuanian surėsti (“to seize”) and find both the comparison with the Lithuanian verb for finding and the wheel comparison less likely,[4] while Derksen calls that Lithuanian verb itself obscure.[2] Wiktionary adds that LIV tentatively sets up a root Proto-Indo-European *reh₁t- (“to encounter, find”).[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Gospel manuscripts it renders Ancient Greek εὑρίσκω (heurískō), as in ꙇштѣте • ꙇ обрѧштете “seek, and you shall find” (Mt 7, 7 Zogr Mar As Sav Ostr).[5] SNSP counts more than four hundred occurrences.[6]

Semantic evolution

Besides finding, the SJS records the senses “to invent”, in Chrabr (where Dionysius the grammarian invented six double vowels), “to find out, establish” and “to gain, achieve”, for Ancient Greek τυγχάνω (tunkhánō) and Ancient Greek καρπόομαι (karpóomai).[5] The reflexive обрѣсти сѧ means “to find oneself somewhere, to turn up”.[5][1]

ESJS lists the derivatives обрѣтати, обрѣтениѥ “finding”, изобрѣсти “to invent” and приобрѣсти “to gain”.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To find, discover; for εὑρίσκω.[5][6][1]
  2. To invent.[5]
  3. To find out, establish.[5]
  4. To gain, obtain, attain; for τυγχάνω.[5]
  5. (reflexive) To find oneself somewhere, to turn up; to turn out.[5][1]

Word family

  • обрѣтати
  • обрѣтениѥ
  • обрѣтатель
  • обрѣтельникъ
  • обрѣтѣль
  • необрѧщемъ
  • изобрѣсти
  • изобрѣтати
  • изобрѣтениѥ
  • приобрѣсти
  • приобрѣтати
  • приобрѣтениѥ
  • приобрѣтѣль
  • приобрѣтельникъ
  • сърѣсти

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 362
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Havlová, Eva; Erhart, Adolf; Janyšková, Ilona (eds.) (1989–2022), Etymologický slovník jazyka staroslověnského, 21 fascicles, Praha: Academia / Brno: Tribun EU, p. 566
  4. ^ a b Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 294
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Kurz, Josef; Hauptová, Zoe (eds.) (1958–1997), Slovník jazyka staroslověnského / Lexicon linguae palaeoslovenicae, 4 vols. + supplements, Praha: Academia; digital ed. gorazd.org
  6. ^ a b Slovník nejstarších staroslověnských památek (digital ed., Gorazd, Slovanský ústav AV ČR, gorazd.org); cf. Cejtlin, R. M.; Večerka, R.; Blagova, É. (eds.) (1994), Staroslavjanskij slovar' (po rukopisjam X–XI vekov), Moskva: Russkij jazyk