prendere Italian · revision 37558

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1158, Testimonianze di Travale|origins=ine-pro *gʰed-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈprɛn.de.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''prendere''' (first-person singular present prèndo, first-person singular past historic prési, past participle préso, auxiliary avére or (also in the meaning "to happen unexpectedly") èssere)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian forms include ''pènre'', ''prèndare'', ''prèndre'', ''prènere'' and ''prènnere'', and an old past participle ''prenduto''.^(GDLI|14)

+ Older past historic forms are ''prendei'' and ''prendetti'', and the old past participle ''priso''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|prehendō|alt=prendere|t=to seize, grasp]], the contracted form of [[m|la|prehendō|alt=prehendere]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary) The word is panromance: [[fr|prendre]], [[oc|penre]], [[ca|pendre]], [[es|prender]], [[pt|prender]], [[sc|prendere|t=to tie]], [[dlm|prendar]] and [[ro|prinde]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)

+

+ The Latin verb is a compound of [[m|la|prae-|t=before]], and its second part is unclear to DELI.^(DELI 1999) Nocentini and de Vaan analyse it as a verb [[m|la|*hendō]], not found without a prefix, from the root [[ine-pro|*gʰed-|t=to grab]] with a nasal infix;^(Nocentini 2010)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) the closest cognates are [[grc|χανδάνω|tr=khandánō|t=to hold, contain]] and [[non|geta|t=to get]], the source of English [[m|en|get]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(de Vaan 2008) [[m|la|praeda|t=booty]], Italian [[preda]], shares the root.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Devoto 1968|343) De Vaan follows Livingston in deriving the short form from contraction after preverbs: ⟨*prai-hend-⟩ became ⟨-prēnd-⟩ in compounds such as [[m|la|comprehendō|alt=comprendere]], and a new simple verb ⟨prēndere⟩ was taken from them.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is in the Testimonianze di Travale of 1158, in the general sense “to take hold of, take with one, capture”: “Io de presi pane e vino” (I took bread and wine from it).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|14) GRADIT gives the same date.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the first records the verb covered taking by hand, carrying off, capturing and believing.^(DELI 1999) The intransitive sense “to take root, catch on” is recorded before 1380 in Paganino Bonafè.^(DELI 1999) Tommaseo treats it as a synonym of ''pigliare'', distinguished from it by the words that accompany it.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ Some phrases are modelled on other languages: DELI derives ''prendere il velo'' (to become a nun) from French ''prendre le voile'' (late 18th century), and ''prendere sonno'' (to fall asleep) repeats the Latin ''carpere somnum''.^(DELI 1999) The compound ''prendisole'', a very short summer outfit or sundress, is recorded in 1939, and ''prenditore'', in banking the payee, in 1942.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1158 – First record, in the Testimonianze di Travale.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses ''prenditore'' “one who takes”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1380 – Intransitive ''prendere'' “to take root” in Paganino Bonafè.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1728 – ''Prendibile'' “that can be taken” in Anton Maria Salvini.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Late 18th century – French ''prendre le voile'', the model of ''prendere il velo''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1939 – ''Prendisole'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|take]], take hold of, pick up with the hands or a tool: ''prendere il secchio per il manico''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To [[m|en|catch]], capture, arrest; to conquer: ''la polizia ha preso i rapinatori'', ''prendere una fortezza''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To take a means of transport or a road: ''prendo l'autobus delle otto'', ''prendi la prima a sinistra''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To get, buy, order; to eat or drink: ''prendiamo un caffè?'', ''prendere un antibiotico''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To catch an illness: ''ha preso l'influenza''.^(Wiktionary)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To take on a task or responsibility; to take a decision or measure.^(Wiktionary)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # To receive a signal or broadcast: ''qui il telefono non prende''.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To seize, of a feeling; to captivate: ''lo prese la nostalgia'', ''un libro che ti prende''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' ''prenderle'', to get a beating.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To take root, set, catch fire; to turn in a direction.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[preso]]

+ * [[presa]]

+ * [[prendisole]]

+ * [[prenditore]]

+ * [[prendibile]]

+ * [[apprendere]]

+ * [[comprendere]]

+ * [[riprendere]]

+ * [[sorprendere]]

+ * [[intraprendere]]

+ * [[rapprendere]]

+ * [[presame]]

+ * [[presura]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[prensile]]

+ * [[preda]]

+ * [[la|prehendō]]

+ * [[fr|prendre]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Among the many set phrases are ''prendere atto'' (to take note), ''prendere a cuore'' (to take to heart), ''prendere in giro'' (to tease), ''prendere il toro per le corna'' (to take the bull by the horns) and ''non sapere che pesci prendere'' (not to know which way to turn).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) The auxiliary is ''avere'', but ''essere'' in the sense “to happen unexpectedly”.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}