osservare Italian · revision 39000

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1219, statute of Montieri|origins=la servō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /os.serˈva.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''osservare''' (first-person singular present ossèrvo, first-person singular past historic osservài, past participle osservàto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|observō|alt=observāre|t=to watch; to comply with]], from [[m|la|servō|t=to keep, watch over]] with the prefix [[m|la|ob-|t=towards]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto 1968)^(Wiktionary) The Latin verb had two meanings, “to pay attention” and “to fulfil”, and Italian kept both.^(DELI 1999) The same learned word is [[fr|observer]] and [[es|observar]].^(Nocentini 2010) DELI calls the origin of [[m|la|servō]] obscure;^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) Nocentini refers it to Italian [[serbare]], which is the inherited descendant of the Latin verb.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ [[sc|servare|t=to lie in wait]] is the only popular Romance outcome Meyer-Lübke lists.^(REW 1935)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is the statute (''breve'') of Montieri of 1219, where ''osservare'' means to keep and fulfil an obligation, beside the Latin-looking ''observare et adimpiere''.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The sense “to look at or examine carefully” is first found in Bono Giamboni before 1292.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The religious sense, to keep a rule or a feast, gave ''osservanza'' (14th century) and the ''frati osservanti'', the Franciscans of the strict observance (before 1421).^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The verb's scientific use grew with ''osservatore'' and ''osservatorio'', the place for observing (16th century), and Galileo's ''osservabile'' (before 1642).^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The sense “to remark, object” is a 19th-century development: in 1855 Ugolini noted ''Vi fo osservare che…'' as current usage, though DELI also quotes a purist objection to such phrases.^(DELI 1999) The ''osservatore'' sent to a conference without voting rights dates from 1958.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1219 – the statute of Montieri uses ''osservare'' for keeping an obligation.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses it for “to examine carefully”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 14th century – ''osservanza'' and ''osservazione'' appear.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * Before 1642 – Galileo uses ''osservabile''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1855 – the sense “to remark, object” is noted as current usage.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(transitive)'' To look at carefully, to [[m|en|observe]], examine or study: ''Il ragazzo osservava le stelle con il telescopio.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To [[m|en|notice]], point out: ''Il professore osservò che mancava una pagina.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To object: ''Sul suo piano non ho nulla da osservare.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To keep, comply with a law, rule or promise: ''osservare il regolamento''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To keep a day according to religious precepts: ''osservare il sabato''.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(pronominal, osservarsi)'' To look at oneself; reciprocal, to look at each other: ''Si osservavano in silenzio.''^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[osservazione]]

+ * [[osservatore]]

+ * [[osservatorio]]

+ * [[osservanza]]

+ * [[osservante]]

+ * [[osservabile]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[serbare]]

+ * [[conservare]]

+ * [[la|observō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}