oboedio
Pronunciation
Forms
oboediō (present infinitive oboedīre, perfect active oboedīvī or oboediī, supine oboedītum); fourth conjugation[1] Afranius has the future oboedībō.[2]
Etymology
It is from ob- and audiō “to hear”, through ⟨*obawizdijō⟩.[2][1] Wiktionary notes that ⟨ob⟩ + ⟨audīre⟩ would be expected to give ⟨*obūdiō⟩, and suggests the ⟨oe⟩ is a false archaism encouraged by the word's use in the law courts.[1]
Earliest recorded meaning
The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of obeying.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[3]
Semantic evolution
It meant to listen, pay attention, as in Nepos, and in Plautus to obey, submit to persons, commands or laws.[2] In Cicero it meant to act as a situation demands, and to be a slave to a vice.[2] Döderlein explains that pārēre is the obedience of a servant to his master, while oboedīre is the freer obedience of an inferior to a superior, a citizen to the law.[4]
In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to obey, heed.[5] Through Old French obeir it gave English obey about 1300.[6]
Timeline
- c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of obeying.[2][3]
- 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of being a slave to vice.[2][3]
- c. 1300 – English obey is recorded.[6]
Meanings
Verb
Word family
- inoboediō
- inoboedus
- oboedientia
- oboedītiō
- oboediēns
Related words
Usage notes
Döderlein distinguishes it from pāreō.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
- ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
- ^ a b Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
- ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
- ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com