labo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈɫa.boː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈlaː.bo]^[1]

Forms

labō (present infinitive labāre, perfect active labāvī, supine labātum); first conjugation^[1]

Etymology

Its origin is uncertain.^[2] Schrijver takes it as the regular zero grade of a root Proto-Indo-European *(s)lh₂b-, of which lābor “to glide, slip” would be the full grade.^[2][1] De Vaan finds the ablaut between them hard to explain, and suggests that the senses “waver” and “slip” may have separate origins, so that this verb could go with words for “weak” such as Old Church Slavonic слабъ (slabŭ, “weak”) and Old High German slaf (“slack”), while the deponent stays isolated.^[2] The LIV proposes a root Proto-Indo-European *sleh₁b- instead.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citation is Ennius, who wrote of tottering rocks and falling rubble.^[3][4] De Vaan dates it from Plautus.^[2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to stand unsteadily, totter, give way, as Cato's warning that a post should not wobble, and to be loose or ready to come apart, as Cicero's statue that did not shift at all.^[3][6] Of light and fire it meant to flicker, and of the memory or mind to be failing, as in Livy.^[3] Figuratively it was used of states and affairs on the point of collapse, as Plautus' friends who waver when a man's fortune totters, and of people wavering in opinion or resolve.^[3] Döderlein says it refers to the whole body tottering for lack of a firm base, while titubō refers to the feet that fail.^[7]

Timeline

• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of tottering rocks.^[3][5]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of failing fortune.^[3][5]
• 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of a loose post.^[3][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of wavering resolve.^[3][5]

Meanings

Verb

1. To totter, be shaky, give way.^[3]
2. To be loose, ready to come apart.^[3]
3. (of light, fire) To flicker.^[3]
4. (of faculties) To be failing.^[3]
5. (figurative) To be on the point of collapse.^[3]
6. To waver, hesitate.^[3]

Word family

• labefaciō
• labefīō
• lābēs
• lābidus

Related words

• lābor
• English lapse

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper