dissolute

Forms

dissolūtē (adverb)^[1][2]

Etymology

It is from Latin dissolūtus (“loose, lax”) + -ē.^[1] The adjective is the past participle of dissolvō (“to loosen, dissolve”), which de Vaan lists from Plautus on among the compounds of solvō (“to loosen”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler finds it from Cicero on.^[4] In the Orator Cicero uses it of saying several things without conjunctions, dēmptīs coniūnctiōnibus.^[1][5]

Semantic evolution

Its first sense is grammatical and rhetorical: without connecting words, disjointedly.^[1][6] More often it means without strictness, laxly or negligently: in the Verrines Cicero asks whether tithes were sold so carelessly.^[1][5] Conte also gives the sense weakly.^[6] Augustine uses it of unrestrained joy, dissolūtē hilaris.^[5][6]

In British medieval Latin it means dissolutely, without restraint: a register of 1300 forbids someone to wander about so loosely outside his house.^[7]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of speech without conjunctions and of careless conduct.^[1][5][4]
• 354–430 AD – Augustine speaks of unrestrained gaiety.^[5][4]
• 1300 – A British register uses it of wandering about without restraint.^[7]

Meanings

Adverb

1. (rhetoric) Without connecting words, asyndetically, disjointedly.^[1][6]
2. Without strictness, laxly, negligently.^[1][2]
3. Immoderately, without restraint.^[5][6]
4. (Medieval Latin) Dissolutely.^[7]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
2. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c d e f Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
6. ^ a b c d e Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
7. ^ a b c Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press