corsa Italian · revision 38527

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1252–1258, Storia de Troia e de Roma}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈkor.sa/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''corsa''' ''f'' (plural corse)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian also wrote [[m|roa-oit|chorsa]] and [[roa-oit|cursa]].^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the feminine of [[corso]], the past participle of [[correre|t=to run]], used as a noun.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary) Devoto describes it the same way.^(Devoto 1968)

+

+ DEI notes that French [[m|fr|course]] (late 14th century), which replaced the isolated Old French [[m|fro|corse]] of the 13th century, was modelled on the Italian word.^(DEI|1124)^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the Roman ''Storia de Troia e de Roma'' (1252–1258), with the sense “the act of running”.^(TLIO) DELI dates that sense to Cecco Angiolieri, before 1313.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian also used ''corsa'' for a raid that laid waste to the land and for a charge in battle, and the phrases ''a corsa'' and ''di corsa'' already meant “running, in great haste”.^(TLIO) The sense “race, a contest of speed” is dated by DELI to Scipione Maffei (before 1755), while Matteo Villani in the 14th century already wrote of the ''corso del palio''.^(DELI 1999)^(Prati 1951) In Rome the first horse races with English horses were run at the Capannelle in 1844.^(Prati 1951)

+

+ Technical and transport senses came later: the stroke or travel of a pendulum or piston (1677, Daniello Bartoli), one journey of a public vehicle between its terminals (1844, a Milanese newspaper), and ''guerra di corsa'', privateering against an enemy's sea trade (1857).^(DELI 1999) Giovanni Pascoli is the first to use ''corsa'' for a frantic scramble to get something ahead of others (1897), the sense of ''corsa all'oro'' and ''corsa agli armamenti''.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1252–1258 – ''Corsa'' appears in the Roman ''Storia de Troia e de Roma''.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1313 – Cecco Angiolieri uses it for running.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Late 14th century – French ''course'' is recorded, after the Italian word.^(DEI|1124)

+ * 1677 – Daniello Bartoli uses it for the travel of a pendulum.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1755 – Scipione Maffei uses it for a sporting race.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1844 – It is used for one run of a public vehicle.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1857 – ''Corsa'' is recorded for naval privateering.^(DELI 1999)^(DIFIT)

+ * 1897 – Pascoli uses it for a frantic race for something.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|running]]; the fast gait in which both feet are briefly off the ground: ''Arrivò di corsa, senza fiato.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # A quick [[m|en|trip]] somewhere and back: ''Faccio una corsa in farmacia e torno.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # The motion of a vehicle; one journey of a bus, tram or train between its terminals, or the fare for a taxi ride: ''La prima corsa del tram parte alle cinque.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(sports)'' A [[m|en|race]], a contest of speed between runners, animals or vehicles; in the plural, horse races: ''una corsa ciclistica a tappe''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A frantic effort to get something before others: ''la corsa agli armamenti''.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(mechanics)'' The [[m|en|stroke]] or travel of a part with reciprocating motion, such as a piston.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(history)'' In ''guerra di corsa'', [[m|en|privateering]] against an enemy's merchant ships.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[corsetta]]

+ * [[avancorsa]]

+ * [[corsaiolo]]

+ * [[extracorsa]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[podismo]]

+ * [[podista]]

+ * [[correre]]

+ * [[corso]]

+ * [[fr|course]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases are ''di corsa'' “in a hurry”, ''a passo di corsa'' “at a run”, ''da corsa'' “built for racing” (''bicicletta da corsa'') and ''essere in corsa per'' “to be in the running for”.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}