Etymologically
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recredo

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Forms

recrēdō (present infinitive recrēdere, perfect active recrēdidī, supine recrēdūtum or recrēditum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin re- + crēdō (“to entrust, believe”),[2][3][1] on the model of Old French recroire.[1] The DMLBS compares Anglo-Norman recreire and the Old French verb.[2] Niermeyer takes the reflexive use with sē to mean properly “to commend oneself, submit to the court's award”, and compares concrēdō (“to entrust”).[4] Wiktionary gives Middle English recreyen (“to wear out, defeat”) as a cognate.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It belongs to early medieval law: Köbler's earliest dated source is the Lex Saxonum (about 800), beside charters, formulae and council acts.[3][5] There it is used reflexively of a party who submits to the court and admits being in the wrong.[4] Du Cange cites old formulae in which serfs who had denied their servitude se recrediderunt, admitted it in the end.[6]

Semantic evolution

Niermeyer lists a whole range of legal uses: to confess guilt or own defeat, to acknowledge a tie of dependence, to admit that something is so or recognize it as genuine, to give security for the surrender of disputed property or the release of a prisoner, to return a pledge to the debtor against security, and to release a prisoner on bail.[4]

In British sources it means to admit defeat in a judicial combat, to undertake to restore something, and to release on bail; its past participle, representing Old French recrëu, describes an exhausted horse.[2] Du Cange also records it in a charter of 1023 in the sense “to go back”.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 800 – The Lex Saxonum uses it.[3]
  • 1023 – A charter uses it for going back.[6]
  • 1170 – An English Pipe Roll uses it of admitting defeat in a judicial duel.[2]
  • 1290 – English accounts call horses worn out on the road recruti.[2]
  • 1313 – A Gascon roll uses it for release on bail.[2]

Meanings

Verb

  1. (Medieval Latin, law, reflexive) To submit to the court's award; to confess oneself guilty, own defeat.[4][2]
  2. (Medieval Latin, reflexive) To acknowledge oneself bound by a tie of dependence.[4][6]
  3. (Medieval Latin) To admit, acknowledge (that something is so); to recognize as genuine.[4][3]
  4. (Medieval Latin, law) To give security for the surrender of disputed property or for a prisoner's release; to release (a prisoner) on bail.[4][2]
  5. (Medieval Latin) To return a pledge to the debtor against security.[4]
  6. (Medieval Latin) To undertake to restore.[2]
  7. (Medieval Latin, past participle) Worn out, exhausted (of a horse).[2]
  8. (Medieval Latin) To go back.[6]

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 Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  5. ^ Köbler, Gerhard, Liber exquisiti xenii: Lexikon frühmittelalterlicher Rechtswörter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c d e du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre