intendere Italian · revision 37784

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=late 12th century|origins=ine-pro *ten-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /inˈtɛn.de.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''intendere''' (first-person singular present intèndo, first-person singular past historic intési, past participle intéso, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include [[roa-oit|entendere]], [[roa-oit|intendre]], [[roa-oit|intendare]] and [[roa-oit|entendare]].^(GDLI|8)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|intendō|t=to stretch towards; to direct; to aim at, pay attention]], formed from [[m|la|tendō|t=to stretch]] with [[m|la|in-|t=towards]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary) The verb is found in all the Romance languages: [[fr|entendre]], [[oc|entendre]], [[ca|entendre]], [[es|entender]], [[pt|entender]], [[sc|intendere]] and [[ro|întinde|t=to stretch out]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) Romanian keeps the physical sense; elsewhere Romance used it above all for directing the ear and the mind, so that the French and Occitan verbs mean “to hear” and Spanish “to understand”, and Old Italian had both senses.^(REW 1935)^(Körting 1907) DELI and the GDLI class the Italian word as learned, while Nocentini and Wiktionary treat it as inherited.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|8)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ [[m|la|tendō]] continues [[ine-pro|*ten-d(h)-|t=to stretch]], an extension of the root [[ine-pro|*ten-]] that also gave [[m|la|teneō|t=to hold]];^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary compares [[grc|τείνω|tr=teínō|t=to stretch]] and [[sa|तनोति|tr=tanóti|t=stretches]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is intransitive, “to devote oneself to something”, in a poet of the late 12th century, T. Galliziani or Rinaldo d'Aquino.^(DELI 1999) The transitive senses “to understand, interpret” (Chiaro Davanzati) and “to hear” (Brunetto Latini, before 1294) follow in the 13th century;^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) GRADIT dates the verb before 1294.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) Dante's damned souls change colour “ratto che inteser le parole crude” (as soon as they heard the cruel words).^(GDLI|8)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 13th century the verb also meant “to come to know” and “to heed, obey”, and Brunetto Latini already used it for “to want, demand”;^(DELI 1999) “to have in mind, intend” is recorded in Andrea Lancia, before about 1356.^(DELI 1999) The reciprocal ''intendersi'' “to agree” is in Dino Compagni (1310–1312) and ''intendersi di'' “to be knowledgeable about” in the ''Novellino''.^(DELI 1999) The sense “to hear” is now regional or uncommon.^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ Several derivatives came back through French.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) The French nominalized participle ''intendant'' (1568) named a royal official; the office and its name were introduced into Piedmont in 1696, and ''intendente'' as a noun is recorded from 1647.^(DELI 1999) ''Intesa'' “agreement” (1699, Filippo Corsini) took the political sense of French ''entente'' in 1914, in ''Triplice Intesa''.^(DELI 1999) Modern law speaks of the ''capacità di intendere e di volere'', the capacity to understand and to will.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 12th century – Intransitive ''intendere'' “to devote oneself to” is first recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 13th century – Chiaro Davanzati uses it for “to understand” and ''intenzione''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses it for “to hear” and ''intenditore''.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1310–1312 – Dino Compagni uses ''intendersi'' “to agree”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before about 1356 – Andrea Lancia uses it for “to intend”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1647 – ''Intendente'' is recorded as a noun for an official.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1699 – Filippo Corsini uses ''intesa'' “agreement”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1914 – ''Triplice Intesa'' names the alliance of the Entente.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|understand]], grasp the meaning of something; to understand a language: ''Intende bene lo spagnolo ma non lo parla.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To [[m|en|mean]], wish to say: ''Che cosa intendi con questa parola?''^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|intend]], have the intention of doing something, with an infinitive: ''Intendiamo partire domattina presto.''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # To interpret, take in a certain way: ''Ha inteso la mia battuta come un'offesa.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(regional)'' To hear; to learn, hear of: ''Ho inteso dei passi sulle scale.''^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # To heed, listen to, ''non intendere ragione'', to refuse to listen to reason.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(intendersi)'' To be expert in something (''intendersi di''); to understand each other, agree: ''Su questo ci intendiamo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[intendente]]

+ * [[intendenza]]

+ * [[intendimento]]

+ * [[intenditore]]

+ * [[intento]]

+ * [[intenzione]]

+ * [[intenzionale]]

+ * [[intenzionato]]

+ * [[intesa]]

+ * [[inteso]]

+ * [[fraintendere]]

+ * [[sottintendere]]

+ * [[sottinteso]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[tendere]]

+ * [[la|intendō]]

+ * [[fr|entendre]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases are ''s'intende'' “of course”, ''dare a intendere'' “to make someone believe something untrue”, ''lasciare intendere'' “to hint”, and the proverb ''chi ha orecchie per intendere intenda''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}