labefacio Latin · revision 35807

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=Terence (190–159 BC)|origins=la labō, la faciō}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''labefaciō''' (present infinitive labefacere, perfect active labefēcī, supine labefactum); third (-iō variant) conjugation, suppletive^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|labō|faciō|t1=to totter, waver|t2=to make]], a compound meaning “to make totter”.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary) The passive is supplied by ⟨labefīō⟩, ⟨labefierī⟩.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It first appears in Terence, where a character complains that someone loosened all his teeth: ''omnīs dentīs labefēcit mihi''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From making something physically unsteady, such as part of a wall,^(Lewis & Short 1879) the verb passed to figurative uses: to undermine power or authority and to weaken a person's resolve or loyalty.^(OLD 2012) L&S notes that Cicero uses only the participle ''labefactus''.^(Lewis & Short 1879) The frequentative [[labefactō]] is derived from it.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Ecclesiastical Latin uses it for “to shake, loosen, weaken”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of loosened teeth.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses the participle of power and resolve that are shaken.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To make [[m|en|unsteady]], cause to [[m|en|totter]], loosen, shake.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To [[m|en|undermine]] the power or authority of; to ruin.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To make someone [[m|en|waver]] in resolve or loyalty.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[illabefactus]]

+ * [[labefactō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}