tenere Italian · revision 37602

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=13th century|origins=ine-pro *ten-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /teˈne.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''tenere''' (first-person singular present tèngo, first-person singular past historic ténni or tènni, past participle tenùto, first-person singular future terrò, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old and regional forms include ''tegnere'', ''tenire'' and ''tignere'', with ''tègno'' for ''tengo'' in the present.^(GDLI|20, 871)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|teneō|t=to hold; to keep; to possess]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The verb lives on in all Romance languages: [[fr|tenir]], [[oc|tenir]], [[ca|tenir]], [[es|tener]], [[pt|ter]], [[sc|tènnere]] and [[ro|ține]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) In Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan and much of Sardinia and southern Italy it took the place of [[m|la|habeō|t=to have]] in forming past tenses.^(REW 1935)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The Latin verb is a stative present of [[ine-pro|*ten-|t=to stretch]], the root of [[tendere]].^(DELI 1999)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Its cognates include [[grc|τείνω|tr=teínō|t=to stretch]], [[sa|तनोति|tr=tanóti|t=stretches]] and [[got|𐌿𐍆𐌸𐌰𐌽𐌾𐌰𐌽|tr=ufþanjan|t=to extend]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Devoto explains the ⟨-ē-⟩ of the present as an extension stressing duration, while the old perfect ⟨tetinī⟩ keeps the bare root.^(Devoto 1968|441) From “to stretch” the verb developed the sense “to hold fast, keep”, then “to hold in the hand, possess”, and finally the general “to have”.^(Nocentini 2010) Latin [[m|la|teneō]] is also the base of [[attenere]], [[contenere]], [[detenere]], [[ottenere]], [[ritenere]], [[tenace]], [[tenaglia]] and [[tenore]].^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ GRADIT dates the verb to the second half of the 13th century.^(GRADIT 2003) DELI's earliest dated senses, “to take, keep for oneself” and “to occupy in order to keep”, are in the ''Novellino'' at the end of the 13th century.^(DELI 1999) The ''Novellino'' also uses it for holding something in the hand: “Tenne il pane sopra il vasello, e ricevea il fummo che n’usciva” (he held the bread over the pot and caught the steam that came out of it).^(GDLI|20, 871)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Dante uses the verb for keeping something in a position or condition and for restraining, in 1300–1313, and the reflexive ''tenersi'' for clinging to avoid a fall in 1313–1319.^(DELI 1999) A Sienese statute of 1323 has the intransitive sense “to be valid” in the formula ''valga e tenga''.^(DELI 1999) Boccaccio uses it for “to consider, regard” in 1341–1342, and Cellini, before 1571, for the capacity of a container.^(DELI 1999) The set phrase ''non c'è … che tenga'' “there is no … that counts” dates from the 17th century and is modelled on French.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ In the south ''tenere'' also means “to have” (''tengo fame''); the GDLI sees Spanish influence in some of these uses, which are regional today.^(GDLI|20, 871)^(GRADIT 2003) Derivatives include ''tenuta'', a large farm estate before 1348 and an outfit from 1824, and ''tenente'' (1611), taken from ''luogotenente''.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) Old Italian also used the infinitive as a noun, ''il tenere'', for a sword hilt, a landed property or a territory.^(GDLI|20, 884)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(Prati 1951|985)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * End of the 13th century – The ''Novellino'' uses ''tenere'' for “keep for oneself”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1300–1313 – Dante uses it for “keep in a position” and “restrain”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1323 – A Sienese statute uses it for “to be valid”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1341–1342 – Boccaccio uses it for “to consider”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1348 – Giovanni Villani uses ''tenuta'' for a landed estate.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1571 – Benvenuto Cellini uses it for the capacity of a container.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1611 – ''Tenente'' “lieutenant” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 17th century – ''Non c'è … che tenga'' appears.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1942 – ''Tenutario'' “keeper of a gambling den or brothel” is in the Zingarelli.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|hold]] something so that it does not fall or move: ''Tieni il manico con tutte e due le mani.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To hold someone back, restrain: ''Tenetelo fermo!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To [[m|en|keep]] something or someone in a position or condition: ''Tieni gli occhi chiusi.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # To keep for oneself: ''Il libro tienilo tu, io l’ho già letto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To keep aside, reserve: ''tenere un posto a qualcuno''.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(regional, southern)'' To have.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To hold, [[m|en|contain]] a quantity: ''Il teatro tiene mille spettatori.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To run (a business), hold (an office): ''tenere un bar''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To hold (a meeting, lesson or speech).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To keep (a promise, one's word).^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(military)'' To hold, defend a position.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To consider, regard: ''tutti lo tengono per un esperto''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To hold, resist a strain; of glue, to stick; of a container, not to leak.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)

+ # ''(reflexive)'' ''Tenersi'', to hold on to avoid falling; to keep to a direction or a rule.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[tenente]]

+ * [[sottotenente]]

+ * [[tenenza]]

+ * [[tenuta]]

+ * [[tenutario]]

+ * [[trattenere]]

+ * [[trattenuta]]

+ * [[trattenimento]]

+ * [[intrattenere]]

+ * [[intrattenimento]]

+ * [[intrattenitore]]

+ * [[rattenere]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[attenere]]

+ * [[mantenere]]

+ * [[manutenere]]

+ * [[ritenere]]

+ * [[tenore]]

+ * [[sostenere]]

+ * [[tendere]]

+ * [[la|teneo]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The imperative ''tieni'' joins pronouns as ''tienimi'' or ''tiemmi'', ''tienilo'' or ''tiello'', and ''tienti'' is the imperative of ''tenersi''.^(Zingarelli 2010) Colloquially ''tieni'' “here, take it” is shortened to ''tie’'' or ''te’''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}