labefacto Latin · revision 31707

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ɫa.bɛˈfak.toː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [la.beˈfak.to]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''labefactō''' (present infinitive labefactāre, perfect active labefactāvī, supine labefactātum); first conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+ Terence has the old passive infinitive ''labefactārier''.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|labefaciō|-tō|t1=to make unsteady]],^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) from [[m|la|labō|t=to totter]] and [[m|la|faciō|t=to make]].^(de Vaan 2008) De Vaan traces [[m|la|labō]] to a root meaning “weak”, compare [[goh|slaf]], but the details of its vowels are unclear.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus,^(de Vaan 2008) whose ''Mercator'' has “I am shaking him little by little”, of a man's resolve.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its literal sense is to make unsteady or loosen, as Cicero's thieves trying to shift a statue with crowbars, and Suetonius has granaries battered with siege engines.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Figuratively it is to undermine the strength or authority of states and institutions, to shake an argument or decision, and to shake a person's resolve or loyalty.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of shaking a man's resolve.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of loosening a statue and of undermining interests.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius of granaries battered by machines.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To make unsteady, loosen; to cause to [[m|en|totter]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|undermine]], weaken; to shake an argument or a person's loyalty; to [[m|en|overthrow]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[collabefactō]]

+ * [[labefactātiō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[labo|alt=labō]]

+ * [[labefacio|alt=labefaciō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}