contineo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [kɔnˈtɪ.ne.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [konˈtiː.ne.o]^[1]

Forms

contineō (present infinitive continēre, perfect active continuī, supine contentum); second conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin con- (“together”) + teneō (“to hold”).^[2][3] The verb teneō is inherited from Proto-Italic *t(e)nē-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *tn-eh₁- (“to hold”), a stative present of Proto-Indo-European *ten- (“to stretch”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus uses it of restraint: a character cries that he can no longer be held back.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to hold together or connect, to hold in position or fasten, and to keep non-physical things together, to sustain, as a state is held together by its leaders.^[2] It also meant to keep someone in a certain state, to retain, to keep in or confine, to restrain or keep under control, and, of places, to enclose or bound.^[2][1] From enclosing it came to mean to comprise or contain.^[1]

Its participle contentus “contained, satisfied” and present participle continēns “holding together” gave English content and English continent.^[6] It survives in Italian contenere, French contenir and Spanish contener, and English contain is recorded about 1300, first “to restrain”.^[1][6]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of restraining oneself.^[2][5]
• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of the pole that holds the yoke and the cart together.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the world embracing all things.^[7][5]
• c. 1300 – English contain “to restrain” is recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To hold together, connect, join.^[2]
2. To hold in position, fasten.^[2]
3. To keep together, sustain.^[2]
4. To keep (in a state); to retain.^[2]
5. To keep in, detain, confine.^[2]
6. To restrain, keep under control.^[2]
7. (of places) To enclose, bound; to comprise, contain.^[1]

Word family

• continentia
• continuus
• incontinēns
• contentē
• contentus
• continēns
• continenter

Related words

• teneō
• English contain
• English content
• English continent
• English continue

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press