attempto

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [atˈtɛmp.toː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [atˈtɛmp.to]^[1]

Forms

attemptō (present infinitive attemptāre, perfect active attemptāvī, supine attemptātum); first conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin ad- + temptō (“to handle, try”).^[2][3] It is also spelled adtemptō and attentō, and the TLL notes that good manuscripts give the spelling with ⟨mpt⟩ more often.^[2][3][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Pacuvius, in a tragedy, asks what strange grief assails the mind, and Accius has a call to attack the Phrygians.^[3] Köbler dates Pacuvius 220–130 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to lay hands on, attack or assail, often with words such as insidiis or bello, and of non-physical attacks, as Cicero of something attacked by a person's tongue.^[2][3] It meant to call in question by argument, as a will in Valerius Maximus, and to try to seduce or tamper with, as Cicero of loyalty undermined by artful speech.^[2] It also meant to try or essay, as Daedalus teaching his son to try the paths of birds in Silius Italicus.^[2]

In medieval Latin it meant to try, test, put to the proof and undertake.^[5] English attempt came from Old French atempter in the late 14th century.^[6]

Timeline

• 220–130 BC – Pacuvius uses it of grief assailing the mind.^[3][4]
• 170–c. 90 BC – Accius uses it of attacking the Phrygians.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of tampering with loyalty.^[2][4]
• late 14th century – English attempt is recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To lay hands on, attack, assail.^[2]
2. To call in question.^[2]
3. To try to seduce, tamper with.^[2]
4. To try, attempt, essay.^[2][7]
5. (Medieval Latin) To test, put to the proof; to undertake.^[5]

Related words

• tempto
• English attempt

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn