distineo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [dɪsˈtɪ.ne.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [disˈtiː.ne.o]^[1]

Forms

distineō (present infinitive distinēre, perfect active distinuī, supine distentum); second conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin dis- + teneō (“to hold”).^[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨teneō⟩ to Proto-Italic *tenē-, from Proto-Indo-European *tn̥-eh₁- (“to hold”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Caesar and Cicero.^[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC and Caesar c. 50 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to hold or keep apart, as of the beams of Caesar's bridge held apart by braces; to keep at a distance, hold off; to draw someone's attention in several directions, and to divert, distract, as in Sallust; and to hold up, interfere with the fulfilment of something, as in Cicero.^[2][5][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to keep apart, separate, hold off.^[7]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of distraction and delay.^[2][4]
• c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of keeping apart.^[2][4]
• 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it of distracting.^[2][4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To hold or keep apart, separate.^[2]
2. To keep at a distance, hold off.^[2]
3. To draw the attention in several directions; to distract.^[2]
4. To hold up, interfere with the fulfilment of.^[2]

Word family

• distentus

Related words

• abstineō
• attineō
• circumteneō
• contineō
• dētineō
• obtineō
• pertineō
• retineō
• sustineō
• teneō

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 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson