dilapidated English · revision 2461

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /dɪˈlæpɪdeɪtɪd/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the past participle of [[dilapidate]],^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) which is [[bor|la|dīlapidātus]], past participle of [[la|dīlapidō|t=to squander, destroy]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline) [[af|la|dis-|lapidō|t1=apart|t2=to throw stones at]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from ''lapis'' “stone”.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline) The verb may be a back-formation from ''dilapidation'', which is recorded in Scots English about 1425.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Fallen into ruin or disrepair (the adjective ''dilapidated'', recorded about 1806).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Latin verb meant literally “to scatter like stones”, and then “to waste, squander”.^(Etymonline) In English the verb ''dilapidate'' first meant to bring a building to ruin through misuse or neglect (1570), and also to squander an estate (1590);^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) the sense “to fall into ruin” followed in 1712.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) Merriam-Webster dates the adjective itself to 1565,^(MW Collegiate) while the OED and Etymonline record it only from about 1806.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) It can be used literally or figuratively.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * about 1425 – ''dilapidation'' (Scots).^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1565 – earliest date for the adjective in Merriam-Webster.^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1570 – ''dilapidate'', to bring a building into decay.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1590 – ''dilapidate'', to squander an estate.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1712 – ''dilapidate'', to fall into ruin.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * about 1806 – ''dilapidated'', ruined, broken down.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Fallen into partial ruin or disrepair, especially through neglect or age; shabby and broken-down.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[dilapidate]]

+ * [[dilapidation]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lapidary]]

+ * [[lapidate]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House lists ''run-down'', ''tumbledown'', ''ramshackle'' and ''rickety'' as synonyms.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}