infringo Latin · revision 31588

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=la frangō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ĩːˈfrɪŋ.ɡoː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [iɱˈfriŋ.ɡo]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''īnfringō''' (present infinitive īnfringere, perfect active īnfrēgī, supine īnfrāctum); third conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|in-|frangō|t2=to break]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) De Vaan lists ⟨īnfringere⟩ among the compounds of ⟨frangō⟩ (from Plautus on), which he derives from [[ine-pro|*bʰr-n-ǵ-|t=to break]], cognate with [[got|𐌱𐍂𐌹𐌺𐌰𐌽|tr=brikan|t=to break]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus;^(de Vaan 2008) the OLD's early examples include Terence, whose character complains that someone dealt him more than five hundred punches.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is to break or shatter, as Lucretius' boars staining broken weapons with their blood, and also to bend, as an oar that looks broken in water.^(OLD 2012) Cicero uses it of breaking up the rhythm of a sentence.^(OLD 2012) It came to mean to weaken or impair, as Propertius' Venus who can break the strength of heroes, and to temper or reduce: Celsus speaks of fever that has abated, Tacitus of reduced taxes.^(OLD 2012) Of power and persons it is to break, crush or make relent: Juno will not rest, “not broken by Jupiter's command or the fates”, and Cicero speaks of a spirit broken by calamity.^(OLD 2012) It also means to foil an attempt.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Church Latin has it for infringe upon, break.^(Stelten 1995) English [[m|en|infringe]] (mid-15th century), “to violate”, is from it.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence of dealing blows.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius of breaking weapons.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of a broken sentence and a broken spirit.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To break, crush, [[m|en|shatter]]; to snap the fingers; to bend; to break up a sentence.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # To weaken, impair; to [[m|en|mitigate]], reduce.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To break a person's power; to make relent; to break someone's spirit.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To make ineffective, [[m|en|foil]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[īnfrāctiō]]

+ * [[infractus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[frangō]]

+ * [[en|infringe]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}