mulceo Latin · revision 31624

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=204–169 BC, Ennius|origins=ine-pro *(H)melḱ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈmʊɫ.ke.oː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈmul̠ʲ.t͡ʃe.o]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mulceō''' (present infinitive mulcēre, perfect active mulsī, supine mulsum or mulctum); second conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+ The perfect is attested in the simple verb only in Ennius' ''mulserat''; elsewhere it occurs in compounds.^(OLD 2012) The supine is ''mulsum'', rarely ''mulctum''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*molkeō|alt=*molk-eje-|t=to stroke, rub]], [[inh|ine-pro|*(H)molḱéyeti|alt=*m(o)lḱ-eie-|t=to touch repeatedly]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Cognate with [[sa|मृश्|tr=mṛś|t=to touch, stroke]] and [[sog|mrws-|t=to touch]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) The LIV sets up an initial laryngeal because of a possible link with [[ine-pro|*h₂melǵ-|t=to milk]], the root of [[mulgeō|t=to milk]], to which the OLD and the TLL also relate it; de Vaan finds this possible but unproven.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(TLL) The verb [[mulcō|t=to beat]] may be from a related noun.^(de Vaan 2008)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Its earliest use in the OLD is in Ennius, of the sea carrying a storm-tossed ship gently along.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its basic sense is “to stroke, caress, touch lightly”, as Cicero's Aquarius stroking the Horse's neck, and in poetry of the wind playing on trees.^(OLD 2012) Figuratively it is to soothe someone's passions, to pacify: Pacuvius has “why do you frighten me with your gaze and soothe me with praise?”, and Virgil a priest who calmed the anger of snakes.^(OLD 2012) It is also to relieve pain, to make conditions more bearable or smells sweeter, and to charm the senses, as in Lucretius.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “charm, soothe, appease, delight”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius of the sea moving a ship.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 220–130 BC – Pacuvius of soothing with praise.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of stroking.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil of calming snakes.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|stroke]], [[m|en|caress]], touch lightly; of wind, to play on; to move gently along.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|soothe]], pacify, appease; to calm feelings or storms.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # To relieve pain; to make easier; to make sweeter.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To charm, delight the senses.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[admulceo]]

+ * [[circummulceō]]

+ * [[commulceō]]

+ * [[dēmulceō]]

+ * [[mulcēdō]]

+ * [[permulceō]]

+ * [[praemulceō]]

+ * [[prōmulceō]]

+ * [[remulceō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mulcō]]

+ * [[mulgeō]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein distinguishes ''mulcēre'', to stroke something rough to make it smooth, and so to pacify an angry person, from ''palpāre'', to stroke something already smooth for a pleasant feeling, and so to coax.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}