admoveo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [adˈmɔ.we.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [adˈmɔː.ve.o]^[1]

Forms

admoveō (present infinitive admovēre, perfect active admōvī, supine admōtum); second conjugation^[1] Also spelled ammoveō; syncopated forms such as admōrunt (Virgil, Ovid) and admōsse (Livy) occur.^[2]

Etymology

It is from Latin ad- (“to”) + moveō (“to move”).^[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨moveō⟩ to Proto-Italic *mow(a)-, from Proto-Indo-European *mi̯ewh₁- (“to move”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of moving something near, and aurem admovēre “to put one's ear to”.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

Its core sense was to move something near to, bring into contact with, as in Plautus and Cato, and in war to bring up ladders and battering rams, as in Caesar.^[2] It meant to lead people or animals towards, and to bring up troops, as in Sallust; in set phrases, aurem admovēre to give heed, manūs admovēre to lay hands on, use violence; to apply fire, a spur, medicaments or punishment; and to bring fear, flattery or one's mind to bear on something.^[2] Later senses include to promote, raise to a dignity, as in Quintilian; to place near, admōtus “situated near”; to bring places nearer by better communications, as in Pliny; and to bring an event near in time.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to move, move near, bring.^[5]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[2][4]
• 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of bringing near.^[2][4]
• 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it of bringing up troops.^[2][4]
• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of promotion.^[2][4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To move near, bring into contact with, (military) to bring up ladders or siege engines.^[2]
2. To lead or guide towards, (military) to bring up troops.^[2]
3. aurem admovēre: to put one's ear to, give heed, manūs admovēre: to lay hands on.^[2]
4. To apply (fire, a spur, medicaments, punishment).^[2]
5. To bring an emotion, speech or one's mind to bear on.^[2]
6. To promote, raise (to a dignity).^[2]
7. To place near, (participle) situated near.^[2]
8. To bring near in space or time.^[2]
9. To add.^[2]

Word family

• admōtiō
• admōtus

Related words

• āmoveō
• commoveō
• dēmoveō
• dīmoveō
• ēmoveō
• moveō
• mūtō
• permoveō
• praemoveō
• prōmoveō

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 r s Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson