obsto

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈɔp.stoː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɔb.sto]^[1]

Forms

obstō (present infinitive obstāre, perfect active obstitī, future active participle obstātūrus); first conjugation, no supine stem except in the future active participle, impersonal in the passive^[1] Also spelled opstō; its perfect obstitī cannot be told apart from that of obsistō.^[2]

Etymology

It is from ob- “in front, against” and stō “to stand”.^[2][1][3] De Vaan traces ⟨stō⟩ to Proto-Indo-European *sth₂-éh₁-ye- (“to stand”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Ennius, of standing in the way.^[2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to stand facing, meet face to face, as in Lucilius and Plautus; to stand in the way, block the path, as in Ennius; to be a hindrance, prevent something from having its effect, as in Plautus; to put oneself in the way, bar; to oppose, as in Cicero; and to resist decay, endure.^[2][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to stand in front of, hinder, oppose, obstruct, and nōn obstante was “notwithstanding”.^[7] Through Vulgar Latin “to hinder” and Old French oster “to remove” it is the source of English oust (early 15th century).^[3]

Timeline

• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it.^[2][5]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of hindering.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of opposing.^[2][5]
• early 15th century – English oust is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To stand facing.^[2]
2. To stand in the way, obstruct, block.^[2]
3. To hinder, prevent.^[2]
4. To oppose.^[2]
5. (Ecclesiastical Latin) nōn obstante Notwithstanding.^[7]

Word family

• obstāculum
• obstantia
• obstetrīx
• obstāns

Related words

• obstitus
• stō
• obsistō
• English oust

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 Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b c d 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. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson