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accido

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈak.kɪ.doː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈat.t͡ʃi.do][1]

Forms

accidō (present infinitive accidere, perfect active accidī); third conjugation, no passive, no supine stem[1]

Etymology

It is from ad- (“to”) and cadō “to fall”, with the vowel weakened to ⟨i⟩.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citations include Livius Andronicus, of water flowing down, and Plautus, of descending from the sky.[2][4] Köbler dates Livius Andronicus 280/260–before 200 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to fall down, descend, of water to flow down, to fall at someone's feet, as in Ennius, and to fall upon, attack, as in Sallust.[2] Of sounds and news it meant to reach the ears, and of sights to strike the eyes or mind, as in Cicero.[2] Above all it meant to happen, occur, come about, to turn out, and to befall someone, with sī quid mihi acciderit “if anything should happen to me”, that is, if I die.[2] Accidit ut meant “it happens that”.[2] In philosophy it meant to be accidental to, and in grammar to be an inflection of.[2] Döderlein says accidere is used of unexpected events, ēveniō of expected ones, and contingō mostly of fortunate ones.[6]

Its participle accidēns gave English accident in the late 14th century.[3]

Timeline

  • 280/260–before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus uses it of falling water.[2][5]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of descending from the sky.[4][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses accidit ut “it happens that”.[2][5]
  • late 14th century – English accident is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To fall down, descend.[2]
  2. To fall at someone's feet.[2]
  3. To fall upon, attack.[2]
  4. (of sounds, sights) To reach, strike.[2]
  5. To happen, occur.[2]
  6. To befall, sī quid acciderit, if anything should happen (death).[2]
  7. (philosophy) To be accidental (to).[2]

Word family

  • accidēns
  • accidentia
  • accidentum
  • acciduus
  • accīsus

Usage notes

A different verb accīdō, accīdere, from ad- and caedō, meant to cut into, fell, and to cut down or weaken.[2][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  7. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press