trattenere Italian · revision 39099

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1310–1312, Dino Compagni|origins=la teneō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /trat.teˈne.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''trattenere''' (first-person singular present trattèngo, first-person singular past historic tratténni or trattènni, past participle trattenùto, first-person singular future tratterrò, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ An older spelling is [[m|roa-oit|tratenere]].^(GDLI)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|it|tra-|tenere]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary) DELI notes that the prefix is felt sometimes as a sense of movement, sometimes as a substitute for [[intra-]] “between”, as in [[intrattenere]]; the TLIO likewise derives the word from the simple verb or from [[roa-oit|intratenere]], and GDLI from [[la|intrā|t=within]] and the same verb.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)^(GDLI) Devoto adds that it was influenced by [[trattare]].^(Devoto 1968) Compare [[scn|trattèniri]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The base [[tenere]] continues [[la|teneō|t=to hold]], which de Vaan traces to [[ine-pro|*tn-eh₁-|t=to hold]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is in Dino Compagni's chronicle (1310–1312), in the sense “to entertain, to make time pass pleasantly”.^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|3873) The TLIO's first record is Francesco da Buti's commentary on the ''Purgatorio'' (1385–1395), in the sense of holding someone back, stopping his advance.^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The 16th century brought most of the modern senses: holding someone in a place (Giannotti, 1531, of people, Cellini, of things), making someone stay, not letting him go (Annibal Caro, before 1566), and the reflexive “to stop for a time” (Varchi, before 1565).^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) Keeping something instead of handing it over is recorded in 1600, dissuading someone in 1694, holding back feelings and abstaining in 1879, and deducting a sum in 1891.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ From the verb come ''trattenimento'', a delay and then an entertainment (Annibal Caro), and ''trattenuta'', the part of a wage withheld for taxes and contributions, first recorded in Venetian in 1829 and in Italian in 1922.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1310–1312 – Dino Compagni uses ''trattenere'' “to entertain”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1385–1395 – Francesco da Buti uses it for holding someone back.^(TLIO)

+ * 1531 – Donato Giannotti uses it for keeping people in a place.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1566 – Annibal Caro uses ''trattenimento''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1694 – Paolo Segneri uses it for dissuading someone.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1891 – It is recorded for deducting a sum.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1922 – ''Trattenuta'' is recorded in Italian.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To hold back, [[m|en|restrain]], stop someone from leaving or falling: ''L'ho trattenuto per la giacca.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To keep someone in a place by force or authority; to [[m|en|detain]]: ''Lo hanno trattenuto in caserma tutta la notte.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To make someone stay or delay: ''Mi hanno trattenuto a cena.'' In polite formulas: ''non ti trattengo'', I won't keep you.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To dissuade someone from doing or saying something.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(uncommon)'' To [[m|en|entertain]] guests or an audience.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To keep something rather than hand it over; to delay a document.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To hold in, [[m|en|suppress]] a feeling or reaction: ''trattenere il respiro'', ''trattenere le lacrime''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To [[m|en|deduct]] a sum from a payment: ''Gli trattengono le tasse dallo stipendio.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[trattenimento]]

+ * [[trattenuta]]

+ * [[trattenersi]]

+ * [[trattenitore]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[tenere]]

+ * [[intrattenere]]

+ * [[ritenere]]

+ * [[trattare]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The pronominal ''trattenersi'' means “to stay, stop somewhere for a while” and “to refrain from”.^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary) The verb is conjugated like ''tenere''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}