attacco Italian · revision 38100

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=late 13th century, Pisan poems}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /atˈtak.ko/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''attacco''' ''m'' (plural attacchi)^(Wiktionary)

+ An Old Italian spelling is ''atacco''.^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a noun formed from the verb [[attaccare]] “to attach; to attack”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(TLIO)^(DEI|352) The origin of the verb, recorded before 1294 in Guittone d'Arezzo, is disputed.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO) DEI, the TLIO and Wiktionary explain it as [[staccare]] “to detach” with its prefix changed.^(DEI|352)^(TLIO)^(Wiktionary) DELI objects that this verb is recorded much later, and derives the verb from [[roa-oit|taccare|t=to mark cloth with a tally]] with a strengthening prefix [[a-]], though it does not rule out [[fr|attacher]].^(DELI 1999) Nocentini takes it from [[fro|atachier]], from [[m|fro|estachier|t=to fix to a stake]], from [[frk|*stakka|t=stake]]; the hard ⟨c⟩ would point to north-eastern French, where /k/ did not become a palatal before /a/.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ In the military sense the Italian verb gave [[fr|attaquer]] in the 16th century.^(DEI|352)^(Nocentini 2010) DEI holds that the noun in the sense “fit of an illness” is a French usage, after phrases such as [[fr|attaque de fièvre]].^(DEI|352)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is an anonymous Pisan poem of the late 13th century, where the word figuratively means an assault.^(TLIO) DELI's first date is Francesco Berni, before 1535, in the sense “joining, junction”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The TLIO also records a figurative sense “handhold, pretext” in Old Italian, still found in literary use.^(TLIO)^(Zingarelli 2010) In the 16th and 17th centuries ''attacco'' meant mainly the point where things join, and figuratively the connection between the parts of a speech or a work of art.^(GDLI|1, 806)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(DEI|352) The military sense “offensive action against the enemy” is recorded from Corsini (1699), and the medical sense “sudden fit” from Salvini, before 1729.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ In music ''attacco'' is the start of a piece or the entry of an instrument, recorded in 1706, and in the 19th century the word came to mean a team of horses harnessed to a carriage (1892).^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|352) The 20th century added electrical and telephone connections (1941), the bindings of skis, sports attacks, the forward line of a team, and a fierce criticism.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 13th century – An anonymous Pisan poem uses ''attacco'' for an assault.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1535 – Francesco Berni uses it for a joining.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1699 – Corsini uses it for an offensive against the enemy.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1706 – Zaccaria Tevo uses it for the start of a musical passage.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1729 – Salvini uses it for the onset of an illness.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1892 – It is recorded for a team of draught animals.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1941 – It is recorded for an electrical connection.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|attack]], an [[m|en|assault]], an offensive: ''L'esercito ha respinto l'attacco all'alba.''^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A harsh [[m|en|criticism]]: ''Il ministro ha risposto agli attacchi della stampa.''^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(sports)'' An attacking move; in football, the forward line of a team.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(medicine)'' A [[m|en|fit]], a sudden bout of illness: ''un attacco di tosse''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The point or way in which one thing joins another: ''l'attacco del colletto''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A fixing device; in skiing, a [[m|en|binding]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A connector for electrical or telephone equipment.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # The beginning, opening of a story or speech: ''Il romanzo ha un attacco memorabile.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(music)'' The first notes of a piece; the entry of an instrument or singer, or the conductor's signal for it.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # A team of horses harnessed to a carriage: ''un attacco a due''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(mountaineering)'' The starting point of a climb.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(figurative, literary)'' A handhold, a [[m|en|pretext]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[contrattacco]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[attaccare]]

+ * [[attaccato]]

+ * [[attaccatura]]

+ * [[staccare]]

+ * [[fr|attaque]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases are ''attacco di cuore'' (heart attack), ''attacco di panico'' (panic attack) and ''andare all'attacco'' (to go on the attack).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}