acute Latin · revision 33787

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=204–169 BC, Ennius|origins=la acuō}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''acūtē''' (comparative acūtius, superlative acūtissimē)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|acūtus|-ē|t1=sharp, pointed]], the adverb of the participle of [[m|la|acuō|t=to sharpen]].^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Ennius has it first, in the ''Annals'', of a hunting dog that yelps and howls shrilly.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Of sound it is at a high pitch, shrilly, and of seeing clearly, distinctly, as Lucretius says we cannot see sharply without it.^(OLD 2012) Most often it is with mental sharpness, keenly, as Cicero exclaims how acutely the charges were put together, and says almost every hearer sees faults more keenly than merits; the superlative is in the ''De officiis''.^(OLD 2012) Köbler lists it from Cicero.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius, of a dog howling shrilly.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius, of seeing clearly.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Of sound, at a high pitch, [[m|en|shrilly]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # Of seeing, clearly, [[m|en|distinctly]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # With mental sharpness, [[m|en|acutely]], keenly.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[acūtus]]

+ * [[acuō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}