lasciare Italian · revision 37548

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1250|origins=ine-pro *slǵ-so-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /laʃˈʃa.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''lasciare''' (first-person singular present làscio, first-person singular past historic lasciài, past participle lasciàto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old and now vulgar ''lassare'' is in Guittone and Dante.^(Prati 1951|577)^(GDLI)

+ Old Italian also had ''lagare'' (Fra Giordano, Sacchetti), which Prati derives from a northern ''lagar''.^(Prati 1951|577)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|laxō|alt=laxāre|t=to widen, loosen, release]], from [[m|la|laxus|t=loose, wide]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) In Latin the verb took the place of [[m|la|linquō|t=to leave]], first as a synonym of [[m|la|permittō|t=to allow]] and then of [[m|la|sinō|t=to let]], as Löfstedt showed.^(DELI 1999) DEI considers the Tuscan form northern in origin;^(DEI|2172) Körting derives its ⟨sc⟩ from a [[la-vul|*laxiō|alt=*laxiāre]].^(Körting 1907)

+

+ The verb is panromance: [[fr|laisser]], [[oc|laisar]], [[ro|lăsa]] and [[sc|lassare]], and with an initial /d/ [[ca|deixar]], [[es|dejar]] and [[pt|deixar]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) Meyer-Lübke calls the forms with /d/ unexplained and suggests the influence of [[m|la|dō|alt=dare]].^(REW 1935)

+

+ De Vaan derives ⟨laxus⟩ from [[itc-pro|*(s)lakso-]] and [[ine-pro|*slǵ-so-]] “weak, faint”, of the family of [[la|langueō|t=to be faint]];^(de Vaan 2008) Nocentini and Devoto compare [[grc|λήγω|tr=lḗgō|t=to cease]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968|254)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Nocentini and GRADIT date the verb before 1250.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) DELI's first records, both from the 13th century, are Paolo Zoppo for “to let go of” and Giacomino Pugliese for “to abandon, leave”.^(DELI 1999) Giacomino laments his dead lady: “Madonna de sta vita trapassao, / con gran tristanza / sospiri e pene e pianti mi lasciao” (my lady passed from this life, and left me with great sadness sighs, pains and tears).^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian already used the verb for leaving a place or person, for leaving property by will (Brunetto Latini, before 1294) and for letting someone do something (Compagnetto da Prato, 13th century).^(DELI 1999) ''Lasciare il mondo'' meant to die, and also to enter religious life.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010) Boccaccio has ''lasciare andare'' and ''lasciare correre'' (to let things go, not to worry), and ''lasciare la pelle'' (to die) is in Annibal Caro in 1561.^(DELI 1999) Later phrases include ''lasciare in bianco'' (to leave blank, 1575), ''lasciarsi andare'' (to give way, 1544) and ''lasciare stare'' (to leave alone, 1752).^(DELI 1999)

+

+ The noun ''lascito'' “legacy” is recorded before 1311.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) ''Lasciapassare'' “pass, permit” renders French ''laissez-passer'' (1675) in the form of the Italian compounds that begin with an imperative; it is in customs documents of 1798–1799 and in Leopardi in 1831.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1250 – First record of the verb.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 13th century – Paolo Zoppo uses it for “to let go”, Giacomino Pugliese for “to leave”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses it for “to bequeath”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1311 – ''Lascito'' “legacy” in Giordano da Pisa.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1348–1353 – ''Lasciare andare'', ''lasciare correre'' in Boccaccio.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1561 – ''Lasciare la pelle'' “to die” in Annibal Caro.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1831 – ''Lasciapassare'' in Leopardi.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|let go]] of, stop holding: ''lascia la corda!'', ''il gatto non lasciava la presa''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # To [[m|en|leave]], go away from a place or a person: ''lasciò il paese a vent'anni''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # To leave for good, break up with: ''ha lasciato la fidanzata'', ''(euphemistic)'' to die: ''il nonno ci ha lasciati''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # To leave behind, on purpose or by mistake: ''ho lasciato le chiavi in ufficio''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # To keep, set aside or entrust: ''lasciami un po' di torta'', ''lascio il cane ai vicini''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # To [[m|en|bequeath]]: ''ha lasciato la casa ai nipoti''.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # To leave in a state: ''lasciare la finestra aperta'', ''lasciami in pace''.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To [[m|en|let]], allow, with an infinitive: ''lascialo parlare''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # To give up, quit: ''ha lasciato il nuoto''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''lasciarsi'': to split up, ''lasciarsi andare'', to let oneself go.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[lascito]]

+ * [[lasciapassare]]

+ * [[tralasciare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lasso]]

+ * [[lasco]]

+ * [[rilassare]]

+ * [[la|laxus]]

+ * [[fr|laisser]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The future and conditional are spelled without ''i'': ''lascerò'', ''lascerei''.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020) Common idioms are ''lasciare a desiderare'' (to leave something to be desired), ''lasciare in asso'' (to leave in the lurch), ''lasciare il segno'' (to leave a mark), ''lasciare perdere'' (to drop it) and ''prendere o lasciare'' (take it or leave it).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}