verecunde Latin · revision 37037

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=204–169 BC, Ennius|origins=la verēcundus}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''verēcundē''' (comparative verēcundius)^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|verēcundus|-ē|t1=restrained, modest]].^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)^(Bianchi & Lelli 2014) De Vaan lists [[m|la|verēcundus]] among the derivatives of [[m|la|vereor|t=to show respect, fear]], which he traces to [[itc-pro|*wer-ē-|t=to be wary]] and [[ine-pro|*u(e)r-eh₁-|t=to note, sense]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Its earliest OLD citation is from Ennius' tragedies: ''quae tibi in concubio verecunde et modice morem gerit'' (“who at bedtime humours you with modesty and restraint”).^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Cicero has the comparative of those who measure everything by pleasure but go about it too modestly,^(OLD 2012) and Livy writes of women to be protected as modestly as the wives of hosts;^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) Celsus uses the comparative of speaking about obscene words.^(OLD 2012) The sense of restraint and diffidence appears in Cicero, who writes of a case taken on hesitantly and with reluctance (''verecunde et dubitanter'').^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010) Ammianus writes that someone was invited to lunch rather modestly (''verecundius'').^(Georges 1913)

+

+ In British Medieval Latin it continued in the sense “modestly, discreetly” in Alcuin and Anselm, and also came to mean “shamefully” and “shamefacedly”.^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it in a tragedy.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of modesty and of diffidence.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of protecting women modestly.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 14–37 AD – Celsus uses the comparative.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 390 AD – Ammianus uses the comparative of an invitation.^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * second half of the 11th century – Anselm uses it of doing something gladly and modestly.^(DMLBS)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|modestly]], with a sense of [[m|en|propriety]].^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+ # With [[m|en|restraint]], [[m|en|discreetly]], diffidently.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Conte 2010)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Shamefully; [[m|en|shamefacedly]].^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[verēcundia]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}