obscuro Latin · revision 32358

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=itc-pro *skoi-ro-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ɔpˈskuː.roː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [obˈskuː.ro]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''obscūrō''' (present infinitive obscūrāre, perfect active obscūrāvī, supine obscūrātum); first conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+ Plautus has the spelling ''opscūrō''.^(TLL)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|obscūrus|-ō|t1=dark]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan traces [[m|la|obscūrus]] to [[itc-pro|*skoi-ro-]] and perhaps [[ine-pro|*skoh₂-i-ro-|t=dark, shady]], comparing [[non|skírr|t=clear, bright]]; its first meaning seems to have been darkened or covered, and it is disputed whether its prefix is ⟨ob-⟩ or ⟨obs-⟩.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Plautus has it first, in the ''Trinummus'': “I know that love has clouded your heart”.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is to darken a heavenly body or other source of light, and to cover in darkness or hide, as Cicero says that night cannot hide wicked gatherings.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Catullus uses it of a sail darkened with dye.^(OLD 2012) It also dims the eyes and clouds the mind.^(OLD 2012) Figuratively it is to overshadow or eclipse, to make sounds or meaning unclear, as Cicero wants letters neither over-pronounced nor slurred, and to make a person or his fame obscure: Ennius says that poverty obscures the names of many.^(OLD 2012) Church Latin glosses it to darken.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of love clouding the mind.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius of names obscured by poverty.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of night hiding wicked gatherings and of slurred letters.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus of a darkened sail.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|darken]], [[m|en|obscure]], eclipse; to cover in darkness, hide.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Stelten 1995)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To dim the eyes; to cloud the mind.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To overshadow, put in the shade.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To make sounds faint or indistinct.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To conceal from knowledge; to make hard to understand.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To make unknown or insignificant; to blot out a memory.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[obscūrātiō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[obscūrē]]

+ * [[obscūrefaciō]]

+ * [[obscūritās]]

+ * [[obscūrum]]

+ * [[obscūrus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The OLD lists a separate adverb ''obscūrō'', from [[obscurus|alt=obscūrus]], meaning in the dark, secretly or furtively.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}