Etymologically
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absolvo

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [apˈsɔɫ.woː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [abˈsɔl.vo][1]

Forms

absolvō (present infinitive absolvere, perfect active absolvī, supine absolūtum); third conjugation[1] It is also spelled apsolvō.[2]

Etymology

It is from Latin ab- (“from, away”) + solvō (“to loosen, release”), “to loosen from”.[2][1][3][4] De Vaan explains solvō as a compound of ⟨*se-⟩ “away” and luō (“to loosen”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus,[5] who uses it of paying people off: dūcuntur, datur aes; iam absolūtōs cēnseās, “they are taken off, the money is paid; you'd think them settled with”.[2]

Semantic evolution

Absolvō is to free from bonds, release (Tacitus), and above all, in law, to find not guilty, acquit (Cicero: an innocent man, if accused, can be acquitted).[2][3] It is also to clear of a charge, to free from an obligation, and to settle one's account with someone, pay off (Plautus).[2] With verbō or paucīs it is to say in a word, sum up (Plautus: ūnō verbō absolvam, lēnōst, “to put it in one word, he's a pimp”), and it is to finish or complete a task (Varro: arātiōnēs absolvī, “I have finished the ploughing”).[2][1]

Church Latin glosses it “absolve, pardon, release, forgive”.[6] English absolve (early 15th century) comes from it, Old French assoldre is its inherited form.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: iam absolūtōs cēnseās.[2][5][7]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro: arātiōnēs absolvī.[2][7]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of acquitting the innocent.[2][7]
  • early 15th century – English absolve.[4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To set free, release, untie.[2][3][1][6]
  2. (law) To acquit, find not guilty.[2][3][1]
  3. To clear of a charge, justify; to free from an obligation.[2]
  4. To pay off, settle with.[2][1]
  5. To sum up, say briefly.[2]
  6. To finish, complete.[2][1]
  7. (Ecclesiastical Latin) To absolve, forgive.[6]

Word family

  • absolūtē
  • absolūtiō
  • absolūtōrius
  • absolūtus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  6. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de