vendere Italian · revision 38057

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1279, Pisan records}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈven.de.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''vendere''' (first-person singular present véndo, first-person singular past historic vendétti or (traditional) vendètti or vendéi, past participle vendùto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old and dialect forms include ''vennere'' and ''vindere'';^(GDLI|21, 726) Buccio di Ranallo writes “Mea richeze vennenno” (I sold my riches).^(GDLI|21, 726)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|vēndō|t=to sell]], which goes back to the phrase [[m|la|vēnum dō|t=to give for sale]].^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The Latin verb has continuations in every Romance language, from which DÉRom reconstructs a Proto-Romance verb:^(DÉRom) [[fr|vendre]], [[oc|vendre]], [[ca|vendre]], [[es|vender]], [[pt|vender]], [[sc|bendere]], [[ro|vinde]] and [[dlm|vandro]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)

+

+ [[m|la|vēnum|t=sale]] is found only in this kind of phrase, never in the nominative.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) It comes from [[itc-pro|*wesnos]], from [[ine-pro|*wes-|t=to sell, buy]], with cognates in [[grc|ὦνος|tr=ônos|t=price]] and [[sa|वस्न|tr=vasna|t=price]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) The sources differ on the second part: Wiktionary and DELI take it as [[m|la|dō|t=to give]], while Nocentini derives the second element from the root [[m|ine-pro|*dʰeh₁-|t=to put]].^(Wiktionary)^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) Devoto explains the form by syncope of the first unstressed syllable.^(Devoto 1968)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ GRADIT's date is 1279, from Pisan records quoted by Monaci;^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999) DELI also cites the ''Fiore'' of the late 13th or early 14th century, in the sense “to sell”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999) DEI dates the verb to the 11th century.^(DEI|4008)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ By the early 14th century the verb was used for things not properly for sale: Dante has “to give for gain” in the ''Convivio'' (1304–1308) and “to betray, especially for money” before 1321;^(DELI 1999) Giovanni Villani uses it for trading.^(DELI 1999) Varchi's translation of Seneca (1554) defines selling as transferring to another the right and ownership one has over a thing.^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ Petrocchi's dictionary of 1891 records ''vendere'' for “to prostitute” and for passing off a tale as true, and Zingarelli's of 1970 the football sense, the transfer of a player to another club.^(DELI 1999) Idioms include ''vendere fumo'', to sell smoke, that is, to boast of what does not exist, and ''averne da vendere'', to have plenty of something.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1279 – ''Vendere'' appears in Pisan records.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses it for giving something for gain.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses it for “to betray”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1348 – Giovanni Villani uses it for “to trade”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1554 – Varchi defines selling in his translation of Seneca.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1891 – Petrocchi records the senses “to prostitute” and “to pass off”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1970 – Zingarelli records the football sense.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|sell]], to transfer ownership of something in return for money: ''Abbiamo venduto la vecchia macchina a un vicino.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To put up for sale, ''vendesi'', “for sale” in notices: ''Mio zio vuole vendere il terreno.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # To deal in (a kind of goods) as a trade: ''Il suo negozio vende scarpe.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(sport)'' To transfer a player to another club for a fee.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)

+ # ''(derogatory)'' To give up for gain what should not be sold; to [[m|en|betray]]: ''vendere un segreto'', ''vendere i compagni''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' To pass off (a story), make someone believe: ''Questa storia non me la vendi.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(reflexive)'' ''vendersi'': to sell oneself, let oneself be bribed; to prostitute oneself.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[vendita]]

+ * [[venditore]]

+ * [[venditrice]]

+ * [[venduto]]

+ * [[vendibile]]

+ * [[rivendere]]

+ * [[rivendita]]

+ * [[rivenditore]]

+ * [[rivendugliolo]]

+ * [[svendere]]

+ * [[svendita]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[venale]]

+ * [[la|vendo|alt=vēndō]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The past historic is ''vendetti'' or ''vendei''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary) Set phrases include ''vendere cara la pelle'' (to fight to the last) and ''vendere la pelle dell'orso prima di averlo ammazzato'' (to count one's chickens before they hatch).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}