praestus

Forms

praestus (feminine praesta, neuter praestum); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is an adjective made from the adverb praestō¹ (“at hand, ready”).^[1][2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLL's first examples are in the Old Latin Bible: at Hebrews 10:11 a manuscript has every priest praestus, standing ready to minister daily, where the Vulgate has praestō est.^[4][2] The TLL also cites Matthew 6:33 from one manuscript, but doubts the reading.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It is found in inscriptions, where a man says he was ready for his duty, and a freedman is to be at hand for a tomb.^[4][1] The Salic law has rods ready for punishing a slave and witnesses who are present,^[4] a life of St Romanus says that the saint comes at once when sailors call on him, and Justus of Urgel uses the superlative of critics most eager to find fault.^[4] Niermeyer gives it the senses ready, available and willing.^[3]

Timeline

• after 220 AD – The Itala uses it at Hebrews 10:11.^[4][2]
• 507–511 – The Salic law uses it of rods and witnesses at hand.^[4][2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (Late Latin) present, at hand.^[4][1]
2. (Late Latin) ready, prepared; available.^[4][3][1]
3. (Medieval Latin) Willing, disposed.^[3]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
3. ^ a b c d Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften