promettere Italian · revision 38073

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1211, Florentine bankers' book|origins=la mittō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /proˈmet.te.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''promettere''' (first-person singular present prométto, first-person singular past historic promìsi, past participle promésso, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include ''promectere'', ''promettere'', ''promictere'', ''promittere'' and ''prommettere''.^(GDLI|14, 587)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|prōmittō|t=to send forward; to promise]], from [[m|la|prō-|t=forward]] and [[m|la|mittō|t=to send]], the source of [[mettere]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI) DEI calls it a learned adaptation of the Latin verb.^(DEI|3102) The same word is [[fr|promettre]], [[oc|prometre]], [[ca|prometre]], [[es|prometer]], [[pt|prometer]], Logudorese [[sc|promittire]] and [[fur|prometi]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(Körting 1907)

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+ The noun [[promessa]] goes back to Late Latin “promissa”, originally the neuter plural of the past participle [[m|la|prōmissus]], “things promised”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is in a Florentine bankers' book of 1211, in the sense “undertake to give or do something”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 13th century the ''Novellino'' tells of a man who “promised to give whatever Alexander gave him” (''elli mi promise di donare ciò ch'Alessandro li donasse'').^(GDLI|14, 587) Old Italian also used the verb for “declare, affirm” (13th century), “threaten” (Dino Compagni) and “swear” (Luigi Pulci); the reflexive “to bind oneself” is recorded before 1349, in Busone da Gubbio.^(DEI|3102)^(DELI 1999) The sense “to promise well, give hope” is recorded in 1841, in Tommaseo.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ Several phrases go back to the participle and the noun: ''terra promessa'' “the promised land” (1673, Paolo Segneri, “a long-desired place” in 1871), and ''promessa di marinaio'', a promise soon forgotten, like the vows sailors make in a storm.^(DELI 1999) ''Promettere mari e monti'' is “to promise the earth”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1211 – A Florentine bankers' book has ''promettere''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 13th century – ''Promessa'' in Inghilfredi.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1349 – Busone da Gubbio uses the reflexive ''promettersi''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1673 – Paolo Segneri uses ''terra promessa''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1834 – Carlo Botta uses ''promettente'' “promising”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1841 – Tommaseo uses the intransitive “give hope”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|promise]], commit oneself to give or do something: ''Mi ha promesso che mi avrebbe aiutato.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|threaten]], announce a punishment or something unpleasant: ''Il padre gli promise una bella sgridata.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To vow before God; to undertake an obligation solemnly.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To give signs of, foretell: ''Il cielo promette neve.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To show promise, of a person: ''Quella giovane pianista promette bene.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[promessa]]

+ * [[promesso]]

+ * [[promettente]]

+ * [[promettitore]]

+ * [[ripromettere]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mettere]]

+ * [[permettere]]

+ * [[la|mittō]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The pronominal ''promettersi'' means “to pledge oneself” (in marriage, to God), and reciprocally “to promise each other”.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Old Italian also had a ''promettere'' “to permit”, a variant of [[permettere]] by metathesis: ''Non prometta Iddio'' “God forbid”.^(GDLI|14, 590)^(TLIO)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}