coactus Latin · revision 36373

+ {{homograph|1|forced, compressed}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=81–43 BC, Cicero|origins=la agō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [koˈaːk.tʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [koˈak.tus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''coāctus''' (feminine coācta, neuter coāctum); first/second-declension adjective^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The adjective “forced, compressed” is [[der|la|cōgō|t=to drive together; to compel]], its past participle.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan explains that verb as a compound of [[m|la|co-]] and [[m|la|agō|t=to drive]], with the perfect ⟨coēgī⟩ and the participle ⟨coāctum⟩; the simple verb goes back to [[itc-pro|*ag-e/o-]] and [[ine-pro|*h₂eǵ-e/o-|t=to drive, lead]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Used as an adjective, it appears in Cicero's ''De divinatione'', which says that magistrates use “forced” auspices.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Beside its use as the participle of ''cōgō'', the OLD lists adjective senses.^(OLD 2012) It means pressed together, condensed: Celsus uses it in medicine, Seneca of fire condensed in lightning, and Ovid of curdled milk.^(OLD 2012) The neuter plural ''coācta'' was a noun for felt: Caesar writes of coverings made of felt or of patchwork.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ It also means unnatural, artificial or contrived: besides Cicero's forced auspices, Virgil has forced tears and Pliny the Elder dwarf plane trees of forced shortness.^(OLD 2012) Of people and actions it means unwilling or compelled, as Ovid uses it of arms taken up unwillingly, and in Lucan it is what the law requires.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero writes of forced auspices.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar uses ''coācta'' for felt.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil writes of forced tears.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it of curdled milk and of unwilling arms.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Pressed together, [[m|en|condensed]]; of milk, [[m|en|curdled]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(neuter plural as noun)'' ''coācta'': [[m|en|felt]], felt cloth.^(OLD 2012)

+ # [[m|en|unnatural|alt=Unnatural]], artificial, [[m|en|forced]], contrived.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Unwilling, compelled; required by law, [[m|en|compulsory]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ {{homograph|2|compulsion}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=81–43 BC, Cicero|origins=la agō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [koˈaːk.tʊs], [koˈaːk.tuːs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [koˈak.tus], [koˈak.tus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''coāctus''' ''m'' (genitive coāctūs); fourth declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The noun “compulsion” is [[af|la|cōgō|-tus|t1=to compel]], a noun of action.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan traces that verb to [[m|la|co-]] and [[m|la|agō|t=to drive]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Cicero,^(Köbler 2010) who uses it in the Verrines of something done under another's compulsion.^(TLL)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is a rare word, found only in the ablative singular ''coāctū'':^(Lewis & Short 1879) Cicero has ''coāctū atque efflāgitātū meō'', at my urging and demand,^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL) Lucretius writes of the great compulsion of another, and Caesar of compulsion by the community.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it in the Verrines.^(TLL)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of a force from outside.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar writes of compulsion by the community.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|compulsion|alt=Compulsion]], [[m|en|constraint]] (only in the ablative ''coāctū'').^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cōgō]]

+ * [[coāctiō]]

+ * [[coāctilis]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}