conspergo Latin · revision 34286

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [kõːˈspɛr.ɡoː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [konˈspɛr.ɡo]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''cōnspergō''' (present infinitive cōnspergere, perfect active cōnspersī, supine cōnspersum); third conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+ Also spelled ''cōnspargō'', the form in Cato, Varro, Vitruvius, Phaedrus, Columella and Apuleius.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|con-|spargō|t2=to scatter, sprinkle]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) [[m|la|spargō]] goes back to [[itc-pro|*sparg-]] and [[ine-pro|*sp(e)r-g-|t=to strew]], and de Vaan compares [[hit|išpār-i]] “to spread out, strew” and [[grc|σπείρω|tr=speírō|t=to strew, sow]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan records it from Plautus on,^(de Vaan 2008) who writes ''vino has conspersi fores'', “I have sprinkled these doors with wine”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its first sense is to cover with drops or particles, to besprinkle or strew, and also to sprinkle a liquid: Cato tells the cook to sprinkle a cake with flour, and Cicero recalls someone who embraced him and wet him with tears.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Suetonius has roads swept and sprinkled because of the dust.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Figuratively it means to intersperse or bespatter: Cicero says the head of Taurus is strewn with stars, and that a speech should be sprinkled with flowers of words and thoughts, an image Lewis and Short take from flowers.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) He also uses it of a life spattered with the stains of disgrace.^(OLD 2012) In Ecclesiastical Latin it keeps the senses strew, sprinkle and spatter.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus has ''vino has conspersi fores''.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses it in recipes.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius has meadows strewn with flowers.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of stars and of ornaments of style.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius has roads sprinkled against dust.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|sprinkle]], [[m|en|besprinkle]], strew or moisten; to sprinkle a liquid.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To [[m|en|intersperse]], diversify; to [[m|en|bespatter]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[cōnspersiō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[spargō]]

+ * [[aspergō#1]]

+ * [[dispergō]]

+ * [[respergō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}