ritenere Italian · revision 39132

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=first half of the 13th century, Giacomino Pugliese|origins=la teneō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ri.teˈne.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ritenere''' (first-person singular present ritèngo, first-person singular past historic riténni or ritènni, past participle ritenùto, first-person singular future riterrò, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian forms include [[m|roa-oit|retenere]], [[m|roa-oit|retenire]], [[m|roa-oit|retinere]] and [[m|roa-oit|ritinere]], and an old past participle ''retento''.^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|retineō|t=to hold back; to keep]], a compound of [[m|la|re-|t=back]] and [[m|la|teneō|t=to hold]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary) In Latin the verb already meant both “to keep together, contain” and “to keep in mind”.^(Nocentini 2010) Devoto explains the ⟨i⟩ of the Latin stem as the normal weakening of ⟨e⟩ in an open medial syllable, and the Italian initial syllable as a cross with the prefix [[ri-]].^(Devoto 1968)

+

+ The same verb is [[fr|retenir]], [[oc|retener]], [[es|retener]] and [[pt|reter]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) The noun [[ritegno]] “restraint” was formed from the verb on the pattern of [[contegno]] beside [[contenere]], as Merlo showed in 1951.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) The learned [[ritenzione]] and [[ritentivo]] go back to the Latin past participle [[m|la|retentus]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's earliest dated sense is “to believe, judge”, in Giacomino Pugliese in the first half of the 13th century.^(DELI 1999) “To hold back, stop” is in two poems of Guido Guinizelli, before 1276, including ''Al cor gentil rempaira sempre amore''.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian used the verb for stopping an enemy, keeping a secret, holding a prisoner, possessing, and receiving or lodging a guest; these senses are now archaic.^(GDLI)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The ''Novellino'' already has it for keeping back part of a sum owed, and Dante (1304–1308) uses it figuratively for restraining a passion.^(DELI 1999) Boccaccio has the pronominal verb both for “to consider oneself” and for “to refrain”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ The sense “to believe” was criticised: in 1831 Lissoni called it a wrong use, and as late as 1939–40 Palazzi thought ''ritenersi'' “to consider oneself” a neologism taken up by purists.^(DELI 1999) It is now the main sense of the verb.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GRADIT 2003) From the participle came the noun [[ritenuta]], an amount withheld, especially tax deducted from pay.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * First half of the 13th century – Giacomino Pugliese uses ''ritenere'' for “to believe”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1276 – Guido Guinizelli uses it for “to hold back”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Late 13th century – The ''Novellino'' uses it for withholding part of a sum.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses it for restraining a passion.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1348–1353 – Boccaccio uses ''ritenersi'' “to consider oneself”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1598 – Florio records the sense “to hold again”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1831 – Lissoni condemns the sense “to believe”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|believe]], [[m|en|consider]], judge: ''Ritengo che abbia ragione lui.'' With a complement: ''Lo ritenevano un buon medico.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # To hold back, [[m|en|restrain]], check: ''un muro per ritenere la terra''; figuratively, ''ritenere uno sbadiglio''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # To remember, keep in mind: ''Non riesco a ritenere i numeri di telefono.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Of the body, to retain (fluids, fat); ''non ritenere il cibo'', to vomit it.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # To [[m|en|withhold]] or deduct part of a sum owed: ''Dallo stipendio gli ritengono le tasse.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(rare)'' To hold again.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(archaic)'' To keep (a secret), to hold prisoner, to possess, to lodge.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ritenuta]]

+ * [[ritegno]]

+ * [[ritentiva]]

+ * [[ritentivo]]

+ * [[ritenzione]]

+ * [[ritenuto]]

+ * [[ritenimento]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[retentivo]]

+ * [[ritenutezza]]

+ * [[tenere]]

+ * [[trattenere]]

+ * [[contenere]]

+ * [[la|retineo]]

+ * [[fr|retenir]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Ritenersi'' “to consider oneself” takes a complement: ''si ritiene fortunato''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) In music [[ritenuto]] marks a sudden slowing of the tempo.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}