transigo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈtrãː.sɪ.ɡoː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtran.si.ɡo]^[1]

Forms

trānsigō (present infinitive trānsigere, perfect active trānsēgī, supine trānsāctum); third conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from trāns- “through” and agō “to drive, do”.^[2][1][3] Varro perhaps has ⟨trās-⟩.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of carrying an activity through and of settling business.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

In Caecilius it meant to pierce through, and in Seneca and Silius to thrust a weapon through.^[2][5] From Plautus it meant to carry through to the end, to act a play through, and to settle a business or dispute, come to terms, and in Tacitus to have done with.^[2] In Quintilian it meant in law to settle by compromise.^[2] In Tacitus it meant to spend time, and in Nepos to complete a period.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to get along, transact, accomplish, spend time, pierce.^[6] Its noun trānsāctiō gave English transaction in the mid-15th century, first a settlement by mutual concession, and English transact came in the 1580s.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of settling business.^[2][4]
• 230/220–168 BC – Caecilius uses it of piercing through.^[2][4]
• 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of spending time.^[2][4]
• mid-15th century – English transaction is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To pierce through; to thrust through.^[2]
2. To carry through; to finish.^[2]
3. To settle; to come to terms; to have done with.^[2]
4. (law) To compromise.^[2]
5. To spend (time).^[2]

Word family

• trānsāctiō
• transactor

Related words

• agō
• English transact
• English transaction

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 l m n o 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. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson