tirare Italian · revision 37877

+ {{infobox|confidence=disputed|formation=inherited|attested=before 1294, Brunetto Latini}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /tiˈra.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''tirare''' (first-person singular present tìro, first-person singular past historic tirài, past participle tiràto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la-vul|*tīrō|alt=*tīrāre]], a verb known only from the Romance languages, which have [[fr|tirer]] (12th century), [[oc|tirar]], [[ca|tirar]], [[es|tirar]], [[pt|tirar]] and [[sc|tirare]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(DEI) In spite of its spread and frequency its origin is still unknown, and DELI quotes Joan Corominas's verdict that it is one of the darkest problems of Romance etymology.^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary) GRADIT and Gabrielli call it uncertain, and Prati unknown.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Prati 1951|994)

+

+ The DEI, following Giovanni Alessio, starts from [[la-med|tirare]] and takes it from [[grc|τείρω|tr=teírō|t=to rub, wear out; to distress]], a word that might have narrowed to torturing a prisoner with a rope and then, among sailors, to hauling sails; it compares [[m|la-med|tirellum]], the rope torture, at Bologna in 1250.^(DEI|3799)^(DELI 1999) Giulio Serra's [[la-vul|*martyrō|alt=*martyrāre|t=to torment]] was rejected by Prati and Alessio.^(DELI 1999)^(REW 1935) Vittore Pisani and Harri Meier derived it from a shortened [[la|trahō|alt=trahere|t=to draw, drag]] that took back a vowel on the model of [[girare]], a view DELI finds attractive and Sabatini–Coletti adopt, but which Nocentini thinks wholly improbable.^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ Devoto linked it to [[la|tīrō|t=recruit]], as a soldiers' word for joining the army.^(Devoto 1968) Nocentini connects the noun and the verb through the idea of wearing down or toughening by exercise with [[m|la|terō|t=to rub, wear away]], while admitting the difficulties of form, and Devoto–Oli follow him.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Zaccaria and Wiktionary prefer a Germanic source, [[gem-pro|*teraną|t=to tear]], seen in [[got|𐍄𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌰𐌽|tr=tairan]].^(Zaccaria 1901)^(Wiktionary) For Nocentini the sense “to throw, shoot” arose with the bow, where pulling the string sends off the arrow.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The reflexive ''tirarsi'' “to move, change place or condition” appears in Brunetto Latini before 1294, and GRADIT dates the verb to 1295.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The DEI's first record is the ''Novellino'', from the late 13th century.^(DEI|3799) Dante uses it for pulling the ends of something tight and, figuratively, for “to attract”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The senses multiplied from “pull”: “to draw towards oneself” (1374, Petrarch), “to aim at, tend towards” (1348–1353, Boccaccio), “to suck” at the breast (before 1385), “to fire a weapon” (before 1540, Guicciardini), “to throw” (Florio, 1598), and, of the wind, “to blow” (1612).^(DELI 1999) The printers' sense, “to pull” copies of a sheet, follows French ''tirer'' and appears before 1698 in Francesco Redi;^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|3800) ''tiratura'', a print run, followed in 1805, and ''tiraggio'', the draught of a stove, was taken from French ''tirage'' in 1853.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|3800) Tuscan ''tirare'' for “to be stingy” is recorded in 1863.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ Many compounds have the verb in the imperative: ''tiralinee'' (a ruling pen, 1805), ''tirapiedi'', first the hangman's assistant who pulled the feet of the hanged and then a lackey, and ''tiramisù'', the dessert, from ''tirami su'' (pick me up), recorded in 1980.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) ''Tirare a campare'', to get by without worrying, alternates with Roman ''tirare a campà''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses ''tirarsi'' for “to move”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1295 – GRADIT's date for the verb.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1300–1313 – Dante uses ''tirare'' for pulling something taut.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1348–1353 – Boccaccio uses it for “to aim at”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1540 – Francesco Guicciardini uses it for firing a weapon.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1598 – John Florio records ''tirar un sasso'', to throw a stone.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1698 – Francesco Redi uses it for “to print”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1853 – ''Tiraggio'' (draught) is recorded, from French.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1980 – ''Tiramisù'' is first recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|pull]], draw towards oneself: ''tirare il guinzaglio''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To drag, [[m|en|tow]] behind oneself: ''Due cavalli tiravano la carrozza.''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # To stretch, pull tight: ''tirare la pelle del tamburo''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # To [[m|en|throw]]: ''tirare palle di neve''; to kick or shoot: ''tirare in porta''; to fire (shots).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To draw (a line); to print (copies).^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # To draw in, suck; of a chimney or stove, to draw well.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DELI 1999)

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To blow, of the wind: ''Oggi tira un vento freddo.''^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To tend towards: ''un rosso che tira al viola''.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(intransitive, colloquial)'' To sell well, be in demand.^(Wiktionary)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[tiro]]

+ * [[tirata]]

+ * [[tiratore]]

+ * [[tiratura]]

+ * [[tirante]]

+ * [[tirapiedi]]

+ * [[tiralinee]]

+ * [[tiramisù]]

+ * [[tiremmolla]]

+ * [[tiretto]]

+ * [[attirare]]

+ * [[ritirare]]

+ * [[stirare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[trarre]]

+ * [[tiraggio]]

+ * [[fr|tirer]]

+ * [[es|tirar]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases are ''tirare avanti'' and ''tirare a campare'' (to get by), ''tirare fuori'' (to take out), ''tirare su'' (to lift, bring up), ''tirare in ballo'' (to drag in), ''tirare la cinghia'' (to tighten one's belt), ''tirare le orecchie'' (to scold) and ''tirare le cuoia'' (to die).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) ''Una parola tira l'altra'' says that one word leads to another.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}