confringo Latin · revision 36820

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=280/260–before 200 BC, Livius Andronicus|origins=la frangō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [kõːˈfrɪŋ.ɡoː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [koɱˈfriŋ.ɡo]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''cōnfringō''' (present infinitive cōnfringere, perfect active cōnfrēgī, supine cōnfrāctum); third conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+ A form ''cōnfrangō'' is found in some late texts.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|con-|frangō|t2=to break]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary) [[m|la|frangō]] goes back to [[itc-pro|*frang-]] and the nasal present [[ine-pro|*bʰr-n-ǵ-|t=to break]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan first finds it in Livius Andronicus,^(de Vaan 2008) who writes that however great a man's strength, the cruel waves will soon break him (''cōnfringent importūnae undae'').^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Plautus uses it of Samian ware that breaks easily, of a door nearly kicked in, and in the passive of a ship that is wrecked;^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Conte 2010) breaking a token of guest-friendship (''tesseram cōnfringere'') meant violating the bond.^(Gaffiot 2016) Cato and Lucretius use it of breaking objects,^(Lewis & Short 1879) and Petronius of a sky broken up by hail.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Figuratively it meant to ruin or undo: Plautus has a man who has squandered his property (''rem cōnfrēgit''),^(Conte 2010) Titinius “break his pride” (''cōnfringe eius superbiam''),^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) and Cicero crushing a conspiracy.^(Conte 2010) Ecclesiastical Latin kept the senses “break in pieces, shatter”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 280/260–before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus uses it of waves that break a man.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of pottery, a door and a shipwreck.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * end of the 2nd/beginning of the 1st century BC – Titinius uses it of breaking pride.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of crushing a conspiracy.^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * before 66 AD – Petronius uses it of a sky broken by hail.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|break]] in pieces, [[m|en|shatter]];^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Stelten 1995) ''(passive, of ships)'' to be [[m|en|wreck|alt=wrecked]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # To break up (a surface).^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To [[m|en|ruin]], undo; to squander (property).^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+ # To break down (pride, resistance), to crush (a conspiracy).^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[cōnfrāctiō]]

+ * [[confractus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[frangō]]

+ * [[fragilis]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}