nisus Latin · revision 32471

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=220–130 BC, Pacuvius|origins=la nītor}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈniː.sʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈniː.s̬us]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''nīsus''' ''m'' (genitive nīsūs); fourth declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|nītor|-tus|t1=to lean, strive]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of [[m|la|nītor]], which he reconstructs as [[itc-pro|*kniχw-et-]]; he notes that the verb's first meaning could have been either to lean on or to exert pressure.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Pacuvius has it first, in a line quoted by Cicero: “with a gentle step, lest a jolt bring on a greater pain”.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is first the act of resting one's weight on the ground, a step or footing: Sallust has soldiers trying the places that seemed doubtful for a foothold.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) It is also a strong muscular effort, as the vain beating of wings in Lucretius, the pressure of natural forces, as of fire in Pliny the Elder, and in general an endeavour.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Of things it is a thrust or tendency in one direction, as of the stars held together by their own pressure in Cicero.^(OLD 2012) Lewis & Short note that it is mostly poetic, nīxus being the form of good prose.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Church Latin glosses it effort, strength, striving.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 220–130 BC – Pacuvius of a gentle step.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius of the beating of wings.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 86–34 BC – Sallust of footing.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A resting of one's weight; a step, footing.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # A strong muscular effort; [[m|en|pressure]]; an [[m|en|endeavour]], striving.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Stelten 1995)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A pressing forward, advance; of things, a thrust or tendency.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[nitor|alt=nītor]]

+ * [[nixus|alt=nīxus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ nīsus is also the perfect participle of [[nitor|alt=nītor]], a variant of nīxus.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) Nīsus was a king of Megara, betrayed by his daughter Scylla and turned into a sea eagle,^(OLD 2012) or a sparrowhawk in Lewis & Short's account.^(Lewis & Short 1879) From the name [[grc|Νῖσος|tr=Nîsos]] Medieval Latin had nīsus, “a sparrowhawk, a fish-hawk”.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}