perscrutor Latin · revision 34338

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [pɛrˈskruː.tɔr]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [perˈskruː.tor]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''perscrūtor''' (present infinitive perscrūtārī, perfect active perscrūtātus sum); first conjugation, deponent^(Wiktionary)

+ An active ''perscrūtō'' is found in Plautus and in later texts.^(TLL)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|per-|scrūtor|t2=to search, examine]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) [[m|la|scrūtor]] is derived from [[m|la|scrūta|t=discarded goods, trifles]],^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) the original sense being to search through rubbish.^(Wiktionary) De Vaan rejects a borrowing of that noun from [[grc|γρύτη|tr=grútē|t=woman's dressing-case, tool-bag, frippery]], and finds its further origin uncertain: only words in the Germanic languages match it, such as [[goh|scrutōn|t=to investigate]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is found from Plautus on,^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010) of searching a place thoroughly,^(Conte 2010) and in the ''Miles Gloriosus'' of looking into a question: ''perscrutari hoc volo'', “I want to look into this”.^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Cicero uses it of dogs that tracked down and searched everything, of searching women's little boxes, and of examining the letter of a law,^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) and Livy of searching all parts of a camp.^(Georges 1913)^(Conte 2010) Figuratively it means to investigate thoroughly: Cicero has ''perscrutamini penitus naturam rationemque criminum'', “examine closely the nature and grounds of the charges”, and Seneca ''quid antiqua perscrutor?'', “why do I search into old things?”^(Conte 2010)^(Georges 1913) The perfect participle is used in a passive sense in Ammianus, the Codex Iustinianus and Augustine,^(Georges 1913)^(TLL) and Ecclesiastical Latin keeps the senses “search through, investigate”.^(Stelten 1995) It was borrowed as Italian [[m|it|perscrutare]], Portuguese [[m|pt|perscrutar]] and English [[m|en|perscrutate]];^(Wiktionary) Spanish [[m|es|pescudar]] continues it.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of searching and of looking into a question.^(TLL)^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of searching things and of investigating charges.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of searching a camp.^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of searching into the past.^(Georges 1913)^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 390 AD – Ammianus uses the participle in a passive sense.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|search]] a place thoroughly for something hidden, search high and low.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To [[m|en|investigate]], examine carefully.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[scrūtor]]

+ * [[en|perscrutate]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}