vincere Italian · revision 37936

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=second half of the 13th century|origins=la vincō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈvin.t͡ʃe.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''vincere''' (first-person singular present vìnco, first-person singular past historic vìnsi, past participle vìnto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|vincō|t=to conquer, overcome]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The same verb is [[fr|vaincre]], [[oc|venser]], [[ca|vencer]], [[es|vencer]], [[pt|vencer]], [[sc|bìnchere]] and [[ro|învinge]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) The past participle [[vinto]] took its /n/ from the present stem, whereas the Latin participle [[m|la|victus]] gave the learned [[vittoria]] through [[m|la|victōria]].^(DELI 1999)

+

+ The Latin verb is traced to a root with a nasal infix, [[itc-pro|*winkō]], from [[ine-pro|*wi-n-k-]].^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008) Nocentini and DEI take its first meaning to be “to fight”, of which winning is the outcome, and compare [[sga|fichid|t=to fight]] and [[goh|wīgan|t=to fight]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|4057)^(Devoto 1968) De Vaan instead derives it from the root of [[la|vinciō|t=to bind]], “to bend, tie”, since bending another can come to mean overcoming him.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Nocentini dates the verb to the middle of the 13th century, and DEI finds the form ''véncere'' in Iacopone da Todi.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|4057) DELI's first sense, “to bring something to a good end”, is in the ''Novellino'' at the end of the 13th century, and “to beat an opponent” is in Dante (before 1321).^(DELI 1999) Dante compares Brunetto Latini running off to the racers at Verona and says he seemed “quelli che vince, non colui che perde” (the one who wins, not the one who loses).^(GDLI|21, 880)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Boccaccio (1348–1353) uses the verb for winning what one competed for, and figuratively for “to subdue”.^(DELI 1999) Ariosto (1532) uses it for “to surpass”, and Annibal Caro (before 1566) for words that “win over” a listener.^(DELI 1999) The intransitive use is recorded in a Milanese paper in 1819, and the reflexive ''vincersi'' “to master oneself” in 1839.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ Derivatives include ''vincitore'' (13th–14th century), ''vincita'' “a win”, later “winnings” (1831), and ''rivincita'' “return match” (1834).^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) ''Vittoria di Pirro'' (1879) recalls King Pyrrhus of Epirus, who is said to have feared another such victory over the Romans at Asculum.^(DELI 1999) The proverb ''chi la dura la vince'' praises persistence.^(Treccani 2011)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Mid-13th century – First record of ''vincere''.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * Late 13th century – The ''Novellino'' uses it for bringing something to a good end.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses it for defeating an opponent.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1348–1353 – Boccaccio uses it for gaining a prize and for “to subdue”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1532 – Ariosto uses it for “to surpass”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1819 – The intransitive use is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1879 – ''Vittoria di Pirro'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(transitive)'' To [[m|en|defeat]], beat an enemy or opponent: ''Ieri la nostra squadra ha vinto i campioni in carica.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To [[m|en|win]] a war, battle, match, game or election: ''vincere la partita''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To win a prize or post: ''Ha vinto una borsa di studio.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To surpass someone in a quality: ''Nessuno la vince in pazienza.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To [[m|en|overcome]] a difficulty or obstacle.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To persuade, win over: ''Alla fine è stato vinto dalle sue preghiere.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To master hunger, sleep, fear or a passion.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To win, prevail: ''Ha vinto il candidato più giovane.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[vincente]]

+ * [[vincibile]]

+ * [[vincita]]

+ * [[vincitore]]

+ * [[vinto]]

+ * [[vittoria]]

+ * [[vittorioso]]

+ * [[invincibile]]

+ * [[rivincere]]

+ * [[rivincita]]

+ * [[stravincere]]

+ * [[vinciperdi]]

+ * [[vincetossico]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[convincere]]

+ * [[evincere]]

+ * [[la|vinco]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The past historic is ''vinsi'' and the past participle ''vinto'' (archaic ''vitto'').^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) ''Vincerla'' or ''averla vinta'' means “to get one's way”.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}