teneo Latin · revision 2976

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Naevius|origins=ine-pro *ten-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈtɛ.ne.oː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtɛː.ne.o]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''teneō''' (present infinitive tenēre, perfect active tenuī or tetinī, supine tentum); second conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+ The old reduplicated perfect ''tetinī'' is used by Pacuvius and Accius.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*t(e)nē-]], [[inh|ine-pro|*tn̥-eh₁-|t=to hold]], a stative present to the root [[m|ine-pro|*ten-|t=to stretch]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Latin also kept an s-stem noun of the root, seen in [[tenus]] “as far as”.^(de Vaan 2008) The OLD connects it with [[tendo|alt=tendō]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Cognate with [[xum|tenitu|t=let him hold]],^(de Vaan 2008) [[sa|तनोति|tr=tanóti|t=stretches]] and [[grc|τείνω|tr=teínō|t=to stretch]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Naevius onwards.^(de Vaan 2008) In Plautus someone points out a man who “holds a sword”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its first sense was to [[m|en|hold]] something in the hand and to grip it fast.^(OLD 2012) It then meant to contain, to occupy a space, to reach a place on a journey, and in war to hold or occupy territory.^(OLD 2012) Feelings were said to hold a person in their grip, and one could hold property, rank or office.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ It meant to keep or maintain something, to hold a course (''cursum tenere''), and to restrain or confine.^(OLD 2012) Laws and obligations “held” those they bound, and a speaker held the attention of his audience.^(OLD 2012) Already in Plautus and Terence ''teneo'' meant “I understand”, and it also meant to remember.^(OLD 2012) It survives as Italian ''tenere'', Spanish ''tener'', Portuguese ''ter'', French ''tenir'' and Romanian ''ține''.^(Wiktionary) English ''tenet'' is its third person singular, “he holds”.^(Etymonline)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for holding and for understanding.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 220–130 BC – Pacuvius uses the perfect ''tetin-''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses ''cursum tenere'' of a ship keeping its course.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * early 15th century – English takes ''tenet'' from it.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|hold]], grasp; to hold fast.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # To contain; to occupy (a space, a position).^(OLD 2012)

+ # To reach (a place).^(OLD 2012)

+ # To hold, occupy (territory) militarily.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To hold (property, an office).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To keep, [[m|en|retain]]; to keep up, maintain.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''cursum tenere'' To hold one's course.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To insist on (an opinion).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To hold back, [[m|en|restrain]]; to confine.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(of laws)'' To bind; to be binding.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To hold the attention of.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To understand; to remember.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[abstineō]]

+ * [[attineō]]

+ * [[circumteneō]]

+ * [[contineō]]

+ * [[dētineō]]

+ * [[distineō]]

+ * [[obstineo]]

+ * [[obtineō]]

+ * [[pertineō]]

+ * [[retineō]]

+ * [[subteneo]]

+ * [[sustineō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[tendō]]

+ * [[en|tenet]]

+ * [[en|tenon]]

+ * [[en|tenant]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein distinguishes ''tenere'', holding something fast in physical possession, from ''habere'', having it in one's power, and ''possidere'', owning it as legal property.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}