Etymologically
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impono

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ɪmˈpoː.noː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [imˈpɔː.no][1]

Forms

impōnō (present infinitive impōnere, perfect active imposuī or imposīvī, supine impositum or impostum); third conjugation[1] It is also spelled inpōnō, and Plautus and Cato have the perfect imposīvī.[2]

Etymology

It is from in- “on, in” and pōnō “to put”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of placing on and putting on board.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to place on or in, as in Plautus, and to put on board, embark; in Sallust to build on a site, in Cicero to attach parts and to put on garments.[2] In Horace it meant to inflict blows, in Cato to apply remedies and to place someone in command, and in Plautus to impose laws or terms.[2] In Cicero it meant to levy a tax and, intransitively, to deceive, impose on; in Virgil to fix a limit, in Varro to give a name, and in Livy to produce a feeling.[2] Döderlein explains that fallere deceives by false views, frūstrārī by false hopes, and impōnere by practising on another's credulity.[5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to lay upon, impose, set over.[6] It survives in Italian imporre and French imposer, and through Old French it gave English impose in the late 14th century.[1][3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of placing on and imposing.[2][4]
  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of applying remedies.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of taxes and deceit.[2][4]
  • late 14th century – English impose is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To place on or in; to embark.[2]
  2. To build on; to attach.[2]
  3. To put on (garments); to apply (remedies).[2]
  4. To inflict (blows).[2]
  5. To put in command.[2]
  6. To impose; to levy (a tax).[2]
  7. To fix; to give (a name).[2]
  8. To deceive.[2]

Word family

  • impōmenta
  • impositīcius
  • impositiō
  • impositor
  • impositus
  • impostor
  • impostūra
  • superimpōnō

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes it from fallō and frūstror.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson