averto Latin · revision 18024

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=ine-pro *wert-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [aːˈwɛr.toː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [aˈvɛr.to]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''āvertō''' (present infinitive āvertere, perfect active āvertī, supine āversum); third conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+ The older spelling is ''āvortō'', regular in the manuscripts of Plautus; manuscripts also have ''abvertō''.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|la|ab-|vertō|t1=away|t2=to turn]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan traces [[m|la|vertō]] to [[itc-pro|*wert-e/o-]] and [[ine-pro|*wert-e/o-|t=to turn]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Plautus has ''quō tē āvertistī?'', “where have you turned to?”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Āvertere'' is “to turn aside, divert” (Caesar: a chance blow turned the scabbard aside), “to turn away”, and to avert one's eyes (Ovid: ''āvertis vultūs'').^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) It is to distract someone's attention, to direct speech away from the judges, and to shift praise or blame onto another.^(OLD 2012) It is “to avert, keep off” (Caesar: to avert suspicion), and in prayers “to avert” an omen (Cicero: ''quod Iuppiter ōmen āvertat!'', “may Jupiter avert the omen!”).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) In war it is “to rout” an enemy, and of persons “to estrange”, “to unbalance” the mind, and “to deter”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary also gives “to steal, embezzle”.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “to turn away, ward off, avert, divert, pervert”.^(Stelten 1995) English [[m|en|avert]] comes from it through Old French in the mid-15th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''quō tē āvertistī?''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius: ''deum rēx āvertat verba obscēna''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero: ''quod Iuppiter ōmen āvertat!''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * mid-15th century – English [[m|en|avert]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To turn aside, divert; to turn away.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # To [[m|en|avert]] (the eyes); to distract.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To keep off, ward off; to avert (an omen).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(military)'' To put to flight, [[m|en|rout]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|estrange]]; to deter.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To steal, [[m|en|embezzle]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vertō]]

+ * [[āversus]]

+ * [[ēvertō]]

+ * [[en|avert]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}