impendeo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ɪmˈpɛn.de.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [imˈpɛn.de.o]^[1]

Forms

impendeō (present infinitive impendēre); second conjugation, no perfect or supine stems^[1] Also spelled inpendeō.^[2]

Etymology

It is from Latin in- + pendeō (“to hang”).^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD notes transitive use in Terence and Lucilius.^[2] Köbler dates Terence 190–159 BC.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant to hang over, overhang, usually with a sense of threat, as in Lucretius and Cicero; of storms to lour; and of abstract things to impend, threaten, be imminent, as in Cicero.^[2][4] Early Latin also used it transitively.^[2][5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means to threaten, overhang, be imminent.^[6] English impend (1590s) is from it.^[7]

Timeline

• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it.^[2][3]
• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of overhanging.^[2][3]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of threats.^[2][3]
• 1590s – English impend is recorded.^[7]

Meanings

Verb

1. To hang over, overhang.^[2][5]
2. To lour (of storms).^[2]
3. To impend, threaten, be imminent.^[2][6]

Related words

• circumpendeō
• dēpendeō
• pendeō
• praependeō
• prōpendeō
• impendō
• English impend

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