pugno Italian · revision 38740

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1284|origins=ine-pro *pewǵ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈpuɲ.ɲo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''pugno''' ''m'' (plural pugni or (archaic or literary) pugna f)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|pugnus|t=fist; handful]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The word is panromance: [[fr|poing]], [[oc|ponh]], [[ca|puny]], [[es|puño]], [[pt|punho]] and [[ro|pumn]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(Körting 1907) Old Italian also had the feminine plurals [[roa-oit|pugna]] and [[roa-oit|pugnora]].^(Zingarelli 2010)^(DEI|3141)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ Latin “pugnus” goes back to [[itc-pro|*pugnos]] and [[ine-pro|*puǵnos]], from the root [[m|ine-pro|*pewǵ-|t=to prick, to strike]], also the root of [[m|la|pungō|t=to prick]].^(Wiktionary)^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999) Its nearest relatives are [[grc|πυγμή|tr=pugmḗ|t=fist]] and [[grc|πύξ|tr=púx|t=with the fist]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(OLD 2012)^(Devoto 1968) Devoto compares the suffix “-no-” with that of [[m|la|somnus|t=sleep]].^(Devoto 1968) From “pugnus” Latin also formed [[m|la|pugnō|t=to fight]], the source of [[pugnare]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Prati 1951|810)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ GRADIT dates the word to before 1284.^(GRADIT 2003) DELI's first record, in the sense “clenched hand”, is the ''Novellino'' of the late 13th century, where a jeweller takes up two stones and closes his fist on them (''strinse il pugno'').^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Dante (before 1321) uses ''pugno'' for a blow with the fist: in ''Inferno'' 30 one sinner strikes another's swollen belly ''col pugno''.^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The sense “handful” is recorded in the 14th century, in a translation of St John Chrysostom, and was also expressed by the diminutives ''pugnello'' and ''pugnuolo''.^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|3141)^(Prati 1951|810) Dante also has the old plural ''le pugna'': his guide throws earth ''con piene le pugna'', “with full fists”, into the greedy gullets of ''Inferno'' 6.^(GDLI)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ The hand that writes gave ''di proprio pugno'' “in one's own hand”, and DEI records ''pugno'' for a style of handwriting in Bartoli (17th century).^(DEI|3141)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) ''Serrar le pugna'' meant “to die” in the 16th century, after the clenched hands of the dying, as in Boccaccio's lover who ''chiuse le pugna'' and died beside his beloved.^(DEI|3141)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) In the 20th century the raised fist became the salute of communist and Marxist movements.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Greek borrowed the word as [[el|μπουνιά|tr=bouniá]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1284 – GRADIT's date of first record.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Late 13th century – The ''Novellino'' uses ''pugno'' for a clenched hand.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses it for a punch.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 14th century – It is recorded for a handful.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 16th century – ''Serrar le pugna'' “to die” appears in Cecchi.^(DEI|3141)

+ * 14th century – ''Impugnare'' “to grip” is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1798 – ''Impugnatura'' “grip, handle” is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|fist]], the hand with the fingers closed tightly against the palm: ''Teneva le chiavi strette nel pugno.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A [[m|en|punch]], a blow with the fist: ''Gli ha dato un pugno sul naso.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A [[m|en|handful]], what can be held in the closed hand: ''un pugno di riso''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A small number or quantity: ''Solo un pugno di spettatori è rimasto fino alla fine.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''Pugno di ferro'': a [[m|en|knuckle-duster]], ''(figurative)'' an iron fist, a very firm attitude.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[impugnare]]

+ * [[impugnatura]]

+ * [[pugnale]]

+ * [[pugnetta]]

+ * [[pugnello]]

+ * [[pugnata]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pugnare]]

+ * [[pungere]]

+ * [[pugile]]

+ * [[la|pugnus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The usual plural is ''pugni'';^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary) ''le pugna'' is archaic or literary.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary) Common phrases are ''avere qualcuno in pugno'', to have someone in one's power, ''fare a pugni'', to come to blows and figuratively to clash (of colours or ideas), ''rimanere con un pugno di mosche'', to be left empty-handed, and ''un pugno in un occhio'', an eyesore.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}