rompere Italian · revision 38224

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=12th–13th century, Elegia giudeo-italiana|origins=ine-pro *Hrewp-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈrom.pe.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''rompere''' (first-person singular present rómpo, first-person singular past historic rùppi, past participle rótto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ The old form [[roa-oit|roppere]] is recorded from the 13th century, and ''roppimento'' “shipwreck” in 1264.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DEI|3280) The same assimilation of /mp/ to /pp/ is found in central and southern dialects, as in Roman ''roppe'' and Calabrian ''rùppiri''.^(DEI|3280) Battaglia lists further old and dialect forms such as ''rómpare'', ''rompre'' and ''rùmpere''.^(GDLI|17)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|rumpō|t=to break, burst]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The verb survives in nearly the whole Romance area: [[fr|rompre]], [[oc|rompre]], [[ca|rompre]], [[es|romper]], [[pt|romper]], [[sc|rúpere|t=to break new ground]], [[fur|rompi]], [[rm|ruomper]] and [[ro|rupe]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(Körting 1907) DÉRom reconstructs Proto-Romance */ˈrʊmp-e-/ with the senses “to break”, “to break new ground” and “to break out”, and holds “to break” to be the original one.^(DÉRom) In French dialects it was nearly ousted by [[m|fr|casser]].^(REW 1935)

+

+ The Latin verb had a nasal infix in the present, absent from the perfect [[m|la|rūpī]] and, from [[m|la|rūpēs|t=cliff]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(DEI|3280) It continues [[itc-pro|*rumpō]] and a nasal present [[ine-pro|*Hru-n-p-|t=to break]] of the root [[m|ine-pro|*Hrewp-]].^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008) Its relatives include [[sa|लुम्पति|tr=lumpáti|t=breaks]], [[ang|rēofan|t=to break, tear]], [[got|𐍂𐌰𐌿𐍀𐌾𐌰𐌽|tr=raupjan|t=to pluck]] and [[goh|roufen|t=to tear out]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) The past participle [[m|la|ruptus]] gave [[rotto]] and [[rotta]], and the noun [[m|la|ruptūra]] gave [[rottura]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's earliest record is the Judaeo-Italian ''Elegia'' of the 12th or 13th century, in the sense “to shatter”: “ke roppe mura e ’nfranzi porti” (“which broke walls and shattered gates”).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|17)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Many uses were already Latin, such as breaking a truce, a delay or silence.^(DELI 1999) In Old Italian the verb meant to violate an obligation (late 13th century, ''Novellino'', Bono Giamboni before 1292), to interrupt (Dante, 1313–1319) and to break in pieces (Dante, 1300–1313), and in an Ancona text of 1397 to be shipwrecked.^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|3280) Dante's beast “che passa i monti e rompe i muri e l’armi” (“which crosses mountains and breaks walls and weapons”) shows the physical sense.^(GDLI|17) Matteo Villani has ''si ruppe a piangere'' “burst into tears” before 1363, and Leonardo da Vinci the sense “to overflow” of a river.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ Breaking off a friendship is recorded in the 14th century, though Tommaseo thought it rare and French-sounding in 1872.^(DELI 1999) In familiar speech ''rompere'' alone means “to annoy”, short for vulgar phrases such as ''rompere le palle'', and more politely ''rompere le scatole''.^(Wiktionary)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) Jocular compounds with ''rompi-'' followed: ''rompicollo'' (16th century), ''rompicapo'' “nuisance” (1640) and “puzzle”, ''rompiscatole'' (1869), and ''rompighiaccio'' “icebreaker” (1906), a calque of English ''ice-breaker'' or French ''brise-glace''.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) Scholars disagree on whether the first element is an imperative.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 12th–13th century – The ''Elegia giudeo-italiana'' has ''roppe'' “broke”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1264 – ''Roppimento'' “shipwreck” is recorded.^(DEI|3280)

+ * Late 13th century – The ''Novellino'' uses it for breaking a pledge.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1313–1319 – Dante uses it for “to interrupt”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1519 – Leonardo da Vinci uses it of a river overflowing.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1640 – ''Rompicapo'' “nuisance” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1869 – ''Rompiscatole'' “pest” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1906 – ''Rompighiaccio'' “icebreaker” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(transitive)'' To [[m|en|break]] into pieces, to smash or split: ''Il bambino ha rotto il bicchiere.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To fracture a bone: ''Cadendo dalla bici si è rotto un polso.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To damage a device so that it no longer works: ''Ho rotto la lavatrice.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To force a way through: ''La piena ha rotto l'argine.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(transitive, figurative)'' To break off a relationship or agreement, to [[m|en|violate]] a pact, to interrupt: ''Hanno rotto il fidanzamento.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(intransitive)'' Of a river, to overflow its banks.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(intransitive, colloquial)'' To [[m|en|annoy]], to be a nuisance: ''Mi stai rompendo da un'ora.''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To burst out in tears, laughter or words.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[rompicapo]]

+ * [[rompicollo]]

+ * [[rompighiaccio]]

+ * [[rompiscatole]]

+ * [[rompimento]]

+ * [[rompitore]]

+ * [[rotto]]

+ * [[rotta]]

+ * [[rottame]]

+ * [[rottamare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[corrompere]]

+ * [[rottura]]

+ * [[dirompere]]

+ * [[rupe]]

+ * [[la|rumpō]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Fixed phrases include ''rompere il ghiaccio'' “to break the ice”, ''rompere i ponti'' “to burn one's bridges”, ''rompere le righe'' “to fall out” (of soldiers) and the proverb ''chi rompe paga e i cocci sono suoi'' “whoever breaks it pays, and the pieces are his”.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) The past historic is ''ruppi'' and the past participle ''rotto''.^(Wiktionary)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}