abruptus Latin · revision 34038

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=81/79–52/50 BC, Catullus|origins=la abrumpō}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''abruptus''' (feminine abrupta, neuter abruptum; comparative abruptior, superlative abruptissimus); first/second-declension participle^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Used as an adjective, it is the past participle [[der|la|abrumpō|t=to break off]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Catullus has a figurative tide carry someone down into a sheer abyss.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Lewis & Short give its sense as broken off, and especially of places hard to reach: precipitous, steep, as Livy's place broken off to a depth of a thousand feet.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) As a noun ''abruptum'' is a steep place or abyss, as in Virgil, and the plural ''abrupta'' rough and dangerous ways, as in Tacitus.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL) Figuratively it is uncompromising or aloof, as Manilius' Torquatus;^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Tacitus uses it of stubborn defiance.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Of style it is abrupt, too short: Quintilian speaks of Sallust's brevity and abrupt kind of speech, and the elder Seneca of passages that end so suddenly they are not short but abrupt.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Pliny the Elder uses it of the tortoise's short hiss, Virgil of sudden storms, and Silius of a precipitate temper.^(OLD 2012) In Late Latin ''in abruptō'' means in a desperate situation, as in Ammianus.^(TLL) Church Latin glosses it steep, precipitous, broken off.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus of a sheer abyss.^(OLD 2012)

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy of a precipitous place.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil of sudden storms.^(OLD 2012)

+ * c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian of abrupt style.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ * c. 390 AD – Ammianus of a desperate situation.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|precipitous|alt=Precipitous]], [[m|en|steep]], sheer; as a noun, a steep place.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # Uncompromising, aloof; stubborn.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Of style, broken, too short, [[m|en|abrupt]]; short-lived.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Of storms, sudden; of people, precipitate.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[abrumpo|alt=abrumpō]]

+ * [[rumpo|alt=rumpō]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Justin says the promontory of Rhegium is so named because its Greek name means “broken off”.^(TLL)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}