Etymologically
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impendeo

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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]

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