spegnere Italian · revision 38980

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1235, Ghiberti|origins=la pingō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈspeɲ.ɲe.re/^(Wiktionary)

+ * Traditional: /ˈspɛɲ.ɲe.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''spegnere''' or (traditional) spègnere (first-person singular present spéngo or (traditional) spèngo, first-person singular past historic spénsi or (traditional) spènsi, past participle spénto or (traditional) spènto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ ''Spengere'' is the Tuscan and literary form; older Italian also had ''espingere''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020) Old and dialect forms include ''spegnare'', ''spennere'' and ''spignere''.^(GDLI|19, 796)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It probably continues [[inh|la-vul|*expingō|alt=*expingere|t=to discolour, wipe out]], from [[m|la|ex-|t=out]] and [[m|la|pingō|t=to colour, paint]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary) The meaning “put out a fire” is usually explained by the influence of [[la|exstinguō|t=to extinguish]] and of a verb [[m|la|extingō|t=to discolour]] confused with it.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968) GRADIT calls the origin uncertain.^(GRADIT 2003) Meyer-Lübke saw the standard verb as Sienese, taken into the written language.^(REW 1935)

+

+ Devoto explains the infinitive as remodelled on forms where ⟨-gni-⟩ came from ⟨-ngi-⟩, such as the second person [[m|la|expingis]], Italian ⟨spegni⟩; the alternation between ⟨spegnere⟩ and ⟨spengere⟩ goes back to this.^(Devoto 1968)^(DELI 1999) In Umbria the verb crossed with [[estinguere]], and at Lucca and Pistoia ⟨spegnà⟩ shows the influence of [[smorzare]].^(DEI|3583) The Latin verb for “paint” goes back to a nasal present [[ine-pro|*pi-n-ḱ-|t=to paint, adorn]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The oldest record DELI gives is reflexive, “to die”, in Ghiberti around 1235; the transitive “to kill” follows in Muscia da Siena before 1288.^(DELI 1999) Bono Giamboni uses the verb in 1292 for “to fade away”, and Dante for putting out a fire or a light.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From putting out a fire the verb spread to ending anything that burns or shines and, figuratively, to quenching thirst, damping feelings and closing a debt or account (Marco Polo's translator, early 14th century).^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) In Dante it also means “to kill”, a sense now only literary.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) ''Spegnere la calce'' is to slake lime, and ''spegnere la farina'' to work flour with water.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ With electricity it came to mean switching off an appliance: ''spegnere la radio'' is recorded in 1942, and the reflexive for a machine that stops in 1960.^(DELI 1999) The reflexive ''spegnersi'' is also a gentle way of saying that someone has died.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1235 – Ghiberti uses the reflexive for “to die”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1288 – Muscia da Siena uses it for “to kill”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses it for “to fade away”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1295 – The noun ''spegnimento'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

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

+ * Before 1494 – ''Spegnitoio'', the candle snuffer, is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1942 – ''Spegnere la radio'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To put out, [[m|en|extinguish]] a fire, flame or cigarette.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To switch off a light, engine or electrical appliance: ''Spegni il computer prima di uscire.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To muffle a sound or dull a colour.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To quench thirst or hunger; to stifle a feeling or end a dispute.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(finance)'' To pay off a debt or close an account.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # To [[m|en|slake]] quicklime with water.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(literary)'' To kill.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(reflexive, spegnersi)'' To go out, stop working; to fade; of a person, to die.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[spegnimento]]

+ * [[spegnitoio]]

+ * [[spento]]

+ * [[spegnibile]]

+ * [[spegnitore]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[spegnersi]]

+ * [[spegnitura]]

+ * [[estinguere]]

+ * [[pingere]]

+ * [[dipingere]]

+ * [[smorzare]]

+ * [[accendere]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}