oscito Latin · revision 35905

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=compound|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=la ōs, la citō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈoːs.kɪ.toː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈɔʃ.ʃi.to]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ōscitō''' (present infinitive ōscitāre, perfect active ōscitāvī, supine ōscitātum); first conjugation, no passive^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|ōs#1|citō#2|t1=mouth|t2=to set in motion]],^(Wiktionary)^(Georges 1913) though the OLD gives this only as likely;^(OLD 2012) the TLL thinks that ⟨ōs⟩ and ⟨citāre⟩, used side by side, grew together.^(TLL) De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of the word for “mouth”,^(de Vaan 2008) and Georges connects its second part with [[m|la|cieō|t=to move]].^(Georges 1913) The noun goes back to [[itc-pro|*ōs-]] and [[ine-pro|*h₃eh₁-os|t=mouth]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ The grammarian Nonius explained it instead from ⟨citum⟩, “divided, separated”.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus,^(de Vaan 2008) who uses the deponent form in the ''Menaechmi'' of a man thought to be mad, stretching himself and gaping.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its first sense is “to open the mouth wide, gape”, and it was also said of things that open out: Ennius has a head torn from the neck gaping on the plain, Columella the flower called the lion opening, and Pliny the Elder leaves that open towards the sun every day.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ More often it means “to yawn” from weariness or boredom: Cicero has a juror yawning while the speaker talks, and Epicurus' teachings as the dreams of a yawning man;^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Lucretius describes a man who yawns as soon as he reaches his villa;^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Gellius has a man who yawned loudly while standing in court.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Figuratively it meant to sit idle: the ''Rhetorica ad Herennium'' reproaches people who sit and yawn while worse disasters threaten.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) Persius and later Augustine use it with an object, of yawning off the night's drinking.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ The present participle ''ōscitāns'' came to mean “listless, careless”: Terence has people caught off guard, and Cicero speaks of the drowsy wisdom of the Scaevolas; he also has the adverb ''ōscitanter'', “carelessly”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) The deponent ''ōscitor'' appears in Plautus, Turpilius, the ''Rhetorica ad Herennium'' and Seneca.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+

+ English took [[m|en|oscitate]] from its past participle in the 1620s.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses the deponent of a man gaping.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius has a severed head gaping on the plain.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses the participle of people caught off guard.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of yawning.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero has a yawning juror and the drowsy wisdom of the Scaevolas.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of leaves opening to the sun.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1620s – English borrows [[m|en|oscitate]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To open the mouth wide, [[m|en|gape]];^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) (of flowers, leaves) to open out.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # To [[m|en|yawn]] from weariness or boredom.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # (figurative) To sit idle, be [[m|en|listless]].^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ōscitābundus]]

+ * [[ōscitanter]]

+ * [[ōscitāns]]

+ * [[ōscitātiō]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ It is also used as a deponent, ''ōscitor'', with the old infinitive ''ōscitārier'' in Turpilius.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}