infestus Latin · revision 18100

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ĩːˈfɛs.tʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [iɱˈfɛs.tus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''īnfestus''' (feminine īnfesta, neuter īnfestum, comparative īnfestior, superlative īnfestissimus); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+ An inscription has ''īnfistus''.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[m|la|in-]] and an element ⟨-festus⟩ also found in [[m|la|manifestus|t=caught in the act]], whose origin is obscure.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) If that adjective first meant “caught by hand”, ⟨-festus⟩ would have meant “grabbing, attacking”; de Vaan finds the link with [[ine-pro|*dʰers-|t=to be bold]] unconvincing, and the old derivation from ⟨*n̥-gʷʰed-to-⟩ “implacable” farther off in meaning and hard in form.^(de Vaan 2008) He tentatively reconstructs [[itc-pro|*en-fristo-|t=rushing in]], connecting [[m|la|festīnō|t=to hurry]].^(de Vaan 2008) L&S, followed by Köbler, explained it from ⟨*fendō⟩, the verb in [[m|la|dēfendō]].^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus,^(de Vaan 2008) who has ''num quid mihi minātur? – tibi īnfesta solist'', “is she threatening me? – she is hostile to you alone”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Īnfestus'' is “hostile, antagonistic” to a person or cause, and “aggressive, warlike, furious” (Sallust: ''hostem īnfestum'', “the enemy bent on attack”).^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) Of armies it is “taking the offensive, threatening attack”, and of weapons “raised, poised to strike”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Of things it is “harmful, troublesome” (Cicero: Charybdis ''īnfesta nautīs'', “dangerous to sailors”), of places “unsafe, infested”, and passively “exposed to danger, threatened, insecure” (Cicero of a son's life often attacked with steel).^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “hostile”.^(Stelten 1995) L&S compare it with [[īnfēnsus]].^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''tibi īnfesta solist''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero: Charybdis ''īnfesta nautīs''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 86–34 BC – Sallust: ''hostem īnfestum''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|hostile]], antagonistic.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # [[m|en|aggressive]], warlike, furious.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Threatening attack;^(OLD 2012) ''(of weapons)'' poised to strike.^(Wiktionary)

+ # Harmful, troublesome.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Unsafe, dangerous; [[m|en|infested]] (with).^(Wiktionary)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Exposed to danger, threatened, insecure.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[īnfestō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[festīnō]]

+ * [[manifestus]]

+ * [[īnfēnsus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}