moleste

Forms

molestē (comparative molestius, superlative molestissimē)^[1]

Etymology

It is the adverb of molestus (“troublesome”), formed with -ē.^[2][1] De Vaan explains ⟨molestus⟩ most likely from an old neuter s-stem ⟨*melos⟩ “trouble, obstacle”, from Proto-Italic *mel-e/os- (“trouble”) and Proto-Indo-European *mel-e/os-, with the vowel of mōlēs (“mass, burden”) brought in; a derivation from ⟨mōlēs⟩ itself he thinks less likely.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler gives Cicero as its first author,^[4] who writes to Atticus “I am sure you take it ill”.^[2]

Semantic evolution

It is in a vexing or distressing manner, tiresomely or annoyingly.^[2][1] Most often it appears in molestē ferre, also patī or accipere, to take something ill or be annoyed at it, with an accusative and infinitive, quod or sī, in Cicero, Caesar and Livy.^[2]

Köbler also finds it in the Bible and in glossaries.^[4]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero has molestē ferre.^[2][4]
• c. 50 BC – Caesar.^[2][4]
• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy.^[2][4]

Meanings

Adverb

1. Annoyingly, tiresomely; with displeasure.^[2][1]
2. molestē ferre (patī, accipere): to take ill, be annoyed at.^[2]

Related words

• molestus
• molestia
• mōlēs
• aegrē

Usage notes

Döderlein notes that aegrē, graviter and molestē ferre, like succēnsēre, denote a silent displeasure, while īrāscī, indignārī and stomachārī denote a loud one.^[5]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper