persolvo

Forms

persolvō (present infinitive persolvere, perfect active persolvī, supine persolūtum); third conjugation^[1] Ovid sometimes treats the -v- as a vowel, so that persoluenda has five syllables.^[2]

Etymology

It is formed from per- (“through, thoroughly”) and solvō (“to loosen, pay”).^[2][1] De Vaan analyses the verb as ⟨*se-⟩ “away” and luō (“to loosen”), which goes back to Proto-Italic *luwe/o- and Proto-Indo-European *l(é)uH- (“to cut loose”), cognate with Ancient Greek λύω (lúō, “to loosen”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest quotation is Lucilius' definition of virtue, as being able to pay the true price of the things we deal with.^[2]

Semantic evolution

It is to pay in full, of money owed or of a debt, and dēbitum nātūrae persolvere, to pay one's debt to nature, is to die.^[2] Figuratively it is to give in full what is due, as Terence's master who paid the highest price he could by freeing his slave, and to render honours or thanks to the gods, discharge vows, or pay a penalty.^[2][4] It is also to carry out a task or duty, as Cicero's duty fulfilled, and in a letter of Cicero to solve a problem.^[2][1]

Church Latin gives it a wide range: to perform or discharge a duty, recite, explain, offer, solve, pay or unloose.^[5]

Timeline

• c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius of paying the true price.^[2][6]
• 190–159 BC – Terence of a price paid in freeing a slave.^[2][6]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero of thanks to the gods, of vows and of solving a problem.^[2][6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To pay in full, pay off a debt.^[2][4][1]
2. To render what is due: honours, thanks, vows, a penalty.^[2][1]
3. To carry out, fulfil a task or duty.^[2][1][5]
4. To unravel, solve a problem.^[2][5]

Related words

• absolvō
• dēsolvō
• dissolvō
• exsolvō
• resolvō
• solvō

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m 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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de