fallo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈfal.loː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfal.lo]^[1]

Forms

fallō (present infinitive fallere, perfect active fefellī, supine falsum); third conjugation^[1] Petronius has a perfect passive participle fefellitus.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *fal-s-e/o-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *sgʷʰh₂(e)l-n- (“to stumble”).^[4] Cognate with Sanskrit स्खलति (skhalate, “stumbles, fails”), Ancient Greek σφάλλω (sphállō, “to bring down, trip up”) and Armenian սխալեմ (sxalem, “to stumble, fail”).^[4][3][5] De Vaan takes the perfect fefellī as a recent formation built on the present.^[4] The Oxford Latin Dictionary calls the origin doubtful.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus uses it of deceiving a father.^[4][2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[6]

Semantic evolution

Georges gives the physical sense “to make slip”, as in Livy's ice that tripped the feet.^[5] In Classical Latin it was mainly to deceive or trick someone, of persons, of the senses and of things, and in the passive or impersonally to be mistaken (nisi mē fallit “unless I am wrong”).^[2][3] It also meant to disappoint a hope, to break a promise or oath, and to escape notice, as in Ovid's work that escapes the eye.^[2]

In medieval Latin it kept the sense “to deceive”, and in German sources it was also used of dues falling to someone.^[7] Through Vulgar Latin forms it gave French faute and English fault, and its participle falsus gave English false.^[8][1]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of deceiving.^[2][6]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of deceiving a partner.^[9][6]
• late 13th century – English fault is recorded, through Old French faute.^[8]

Meanings

Verb

1. To deceive, trick, mislead.^[2][3]
2. In the passive or reflexive, to be mistaken, mē fallit, I am wrong.^[2][1]
3. Of things, to mislead; to give way under (someone).^[2]
4. To disappoint (a hope or expectation); to fail to keep (a promise).^[2]
5. To swear falsely by (a god).^[2][1]
6. To escape the notice of; to be unseen.^[2][1]

Word family

• fallāx
• falsārius
• falsiloquus
• falsimōnia
• falsiparēns
• falsitās
• falsō
• falsum
• perfalsus
• refellō
• fallēns

Related words

• fallācia
• fallāciloquus
• fallāciōsus
• fallācitās
• fallāciter
• falsātiō
• falsātus
• falsidicentia
• falsificātus
• falsus
• English false
• English fault

Usage notes

Döderlein says that fallere deceives by false views, while frustror deceives expectations.^[10]

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. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d 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 Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
10. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper