mossa Italian · revision 38287

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1300–1313, Dante|origins=it muovere}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈmɔs.sa/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mossa''' ''f'' (plural mosse)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the feminine of [[mosso]], the past participle of [[muovere]], used as a noun of action.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(DEI|2518)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ GRADIT dates the first record to Dante's ''Inferno'' (1300–1313), where the word means the impulse that sets something going: a soul may fall into Tolomea ''innanzi ch'Atropòs mossa le dea'', before Atropos gives it its start, that is, before death.^(GRADIT 2003) DELI's first records are Bindo Bonichi, before 1338, for an action or intervention, and Giovanni Villani, before 1348, for the movement of a force, especially a tactical one.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 14th century ''mossa'' was the setting out of a force or the start of something: Villani's ''alla sua mossa'' is when someone sets out, and Francesco da Barberino uses it for the beginning.^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) From the start come phrases with ''mosse'': ''stare sulle mosse'' (1685) and ''essere sulle mosse'' (before 1750) “to be about to leave”, and ''prendere le mosse'' “to start from”.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010) The start of a horse race, especially the Palio of Siena, is still ''la mossa''.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ Galileo, before 1642, uses the word for a move in chess or draughts, and ''rubare la mossa'', to forestall an opponent's move, is recorded in 1891.^(DELI 1999) The sense of a single movement or gesture of the body is recorded from 1705, and an action aimed at a result (''una mossa sbagliata'') belongs to the same family of uses.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) In the variety theatre of the early 20th century ''la mossa'' was the dancer's sudden jerk of the hips at the end of a number.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020) Colloquial ''darsi una mossa'' means to hurry up.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1300–1313 – Dante uses ''mossa'' for an impulse that sets something going.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1338 – Bindo Bonichi uses it for an action or intervention.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1348 – Giovanni Villani uses it for the movement of a force.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1642 – Galileo uses it for a move in chess.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1685 – ''Stare sulle mosse'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1705 – F. Nomi uses it for a movement of the body.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1891 – ''Rubare la mossa'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|movement]] of the body or of a part of it; a gesture: ''Con una mossa improvvisa ha fatto cadere la tazza.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(theatre, historical)'' The provocative jerk of the hips with which variety dancers ended their number.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(military)'' A movement of troops with strategic value.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # An action meant to achieve a result; a step: ''Licenziarsi adesso sarebbe una mossa sbagliata.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(games)'' In chess and draughts, a [[m|en|move]] of a piece from one square to another.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(martial arts)'' A technique used to overcome an opponent.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # The start of the horses in a race, especially the Palio of Siena; a beginning, a start.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[mossiere]]

+ * [[contromossa]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[muovere]]

+ * [[mosso]]

+ * [[moto]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases are ''darsi una mossa'' “to hurry up”, ''fare la prima mossa'' “to make the first move”, and ''prendere le mosse da'' “to start from”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) A separate, obsolete ''mossa'' was a measure for liquids used in Austrian lands, a little over a litre, adapted from [[de|Maß|t=tankard]].^(GDLI)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}