degravo Latin · revision 36035

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=57/46–12 BC, Propertius|origins=ine-pro *gʷreh₂-u-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈdeː.ɡra.woː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈdɛː.ɡra.vo]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''dēgravō''' (present infinitive dēgravāre, supine dēgravātum); first conjugation, no perfect stem^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|dē-|gravō|t2=to weigh down]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Bianchi & Lelli 2014) The simple verb is from [[m|la|gravis|t=heavy]],^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008) which goes back to [[itc-pro|*gʷra(w)u-]] and [[ine-pro|*gʷreh₂-u-|t=heavy]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ The adjective is cognate with [[grc|βαρύς|tr=barús|t=heavy]] and [[sa|गुरु|tr=gurú-|t=heavy]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Lewis and Short find it only from the Augustan age.^(Lewis & Short 1879) The TLL cites Propertius first: ''quaecumque meum degravat unda caput'', “whatever wave weighs down my head”.^(TLL)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is to rest heavily on something or press it down:^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Ovid has Etna weighing down the head of Typhoeus and Polyphemus weighing down the shore with his huge stride, and a vine weighing down an elm.^(TLL)^(Georges 1913) Livy uses it for overpowering a wing of an army, and says that tiredness, wounds and fear drag down even good swimmers.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ Figuratively it is to burden or weigh down: Seneca writes that age now weighs down Aufidius Bassus more than he can rise against.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) Phaedrus has men weighed down by their load, and Pliny the Elder parts of a ship weighed down.^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 57/46–12 BC – Propertius uses it of a wave weighing down the head.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of overpowering a wing of an army.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it of Etna pressing on Typhoeus.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of old age weighing a man down.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To press down, [[m|en|weigh]] down, rest heavily on.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # To [[m|en|overpower]], overwhelm.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To [[m|en|burden]], drag down.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[gravō]]

+ * [[gravis]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}