manus Latin · revision 2781

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 450 BC, Twelve Tables|origins=itc-pro *manu-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈma.nʊs], [ˈma.nuːs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmaː.nus], [ˈmaː.nus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''manus''' ''f'' (genitive manūs); fourth declension^(Wiktionary)

+ A genitive ''manuis'' is found in Varro, a dative ''manu'' in Propertius, and late texts have a genitive plural ''manum''.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*manu-|t=hand]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan reconstructs [[ine-pro|*mon-u-|t=hand]] behind it,^(de Vaan 2008) but Wiktionary calls the further etymology disputed and lists other proposals, among them [[ine-pro|*méh₂-r̥]] from [[ine-pro|*(s)meh₂-|t=to beckon, signal]].^(Wiktionary) Pokorny sets up a root noun *mə-r, genitive *mə-n-és, “hand”.^(Pokorny 1959)^(Köbler 2010) Cognate with [[osc|manim]], [[xum|mani]] and [[spx|manus]] “hand”, and with [[sga|muin|t=protection, patronage]], [[hit|maniyaḫḫ-|t=to distribute, entrust]], [[goh|munt|t=hand]] and [[non|mund|t=hand]].^(de Vaan 2008) Whether the Italic stem was *man- or *manu- is disputed; [[mancus]] “maimed” may show the shorter stem.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is attested from the Twelve Tables (c. 450 BC) and Livius Andronicus,^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) the Tables ruling on a weapon that flew from the [[m|en|hand]] rather than being thrown.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Beyond the human hand it named the forepaw of a bear or ape, the trunk of an elephant, the twigs of a tree and the ''manus ferrea'', a grappling iron.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) As the instrument of action it stood for force or violence (''manu'', by force), for fighting (''manus conserere'', to join battle, and ''manus dare'', to surrender), for a stroke in fencing, for handwriting, and for the touch of an artist, ''summa manus'' being the finishing touch.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ In law it was the [[m|en|power]] of a husband over his wife, who “came into his hand” (''in manum convenire''), and of a father or master, whence ''manu mittere'', to set a slave free, and [[emancipo|alt=ēmancipāre]].^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008) By metonymy it was an armed band, any company of people, an agent, or a workman.^(OLD 2012) Isidore explains the laying on of hands (''manus impositio'') as the summoning of the Holy Spirit.^(Köbler 2010)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ Medieval documents use it for possession and for charters, and ''manus mortua'' was [[m|en|mortmain]], the lord's right over a dead tenant's goods.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Köbler 2010) All Romance languages inherit it, as Sardinian ''manu'', Romanian ''mână'', Italian ''mano'', French ''main'' and Spanish ''mano'',^(DÉRom)^(Wiktionary) and Italian ''maneggiare'' “to handle” gave French ''manège''.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables speak of a weapon flying from the hand.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for an armed band and in ''manum adire'', to trick.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it for armed force and for hands raised in prayer.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence has ''in manum dare'', to give a wife into a husband's power.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of his own handwriting and of the elephant's “hand”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar's fleet uses ''manus ferreae'', grappling irons.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of a stroke in fencing.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1115 – The ''Leges Henrici'' use it in the medieval legal senses.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|hand]]; the forepaw of an animal; the trunk of an elephant.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # A grappling iron (''manus ferrea'').^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Force, violence; fighting at close quarters; a stroke in fencing.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # The hand as the instrument of work; handwriting; workmanship, the touch of an artist.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(law)'' The [[m|en|power]] of a husband over his wife, or of a father or master; an arrest.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Possession, control; reach.^(OLD 2012)

+ # An armed band, a troop; a company or faction of people.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # An agent, a tool; a workman.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A player's stake at dice.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A charter, and ''manus mortua'', [[m|en|mortmain]].^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[comminus]]

+ * [[ēminus]]

+ * [[malluuiae]]

+ * [[malluvium]]

+ * [[manceps]]

+ * [[manica]]

+ * [[manicula]]

+ * [[manifestus]]

+ * [[manifolium]]

+ * [[manipulus]]

+ * [[mānsuēs]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mancus]]

+ * [[pēs]]

+ * [[suēscō]]

+ * [[tergeō]]

+ * [[en|manual]]

+ * [[en|manumission]]

+ * [[en|emancipate]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The noun is feminine although it ends in ''-us''.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) A different Old Latin adjective ''mānus'' meant “good” and survives in [[mane|alt=māne]] “morning”, [[manes|alt=Mānēs]] “spirits of the dead” and [[immanis|alt=immānis]] “monstrous”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}