inseguire Italian · revision 39228

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=borrowing|attested=late 13th century, Tesoro volgarizzato (Florentine)|origins=ine-pro *sekʷ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /in.seˈɡwi.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''inseguire''' (first-person singular present inséguo or insèguo, first-person singular past historic inseguìi, past participle inseguìto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian also has [[m|roa-oit|insiguire]].^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|īnsequor|t=to follow closely]], from [[m|la|in-]] and [[m|la|sequor|t=to follow]], taken over as a learned word and remade on the model of [[seguire]].^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary)^(Prati 1951|561)^(Devoto 1968) Nocentini and Meyer-Lübke start instead from [[la-vul|*īnsequō|alt=*insequere]], with the ending of the active verbs, which also gave [[fro|ensuivre]], [[pro|enseguir]], [[ca|enseguir]] and Logudorese [[sc|insegere]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(DEI|2047)

+

+ The Latin verb goes back to [[itc-pro|*sekʷe-]] and [[ine-pro|*sekʷ-|t=to follow]], the source also of [[grc|ἕπομαι|tr=hépomai]], [[sa|सचते|tr=sácate]] and [[lt|sekti]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is the Florentine translation of Brunetto Latini's ''Tesoro'', of the late 13th century, for going after someone, usually with hostile intent, to catch up with him.^(TLIO) DELI's first date is 1677, in Galeazzo Gualdo Priorato, who describes a governor skirmishing with enemy squadrons and chasing them (''inseguendoli'') halfway down the road.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|8, 97)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old Italian the verb could also mean “to take as a model, imitate”.^(TLIO) It remained rare and literary until the 18th century: Prati calls it a word of literary origin, found in Monti and Alfieri, and Tommaseo notes that one pursues someone nearly always to harm him.^(Prati 1951|561)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ In modern Italian the verb is common, also in sport for riders and runners chasing the leaders;^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(DELI 1999) ''inseguimento'' became the name of a track cycling race in 1953.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(DELI 1999) The figurative senses, pursuing a dream or being haunted by a memory, are recorded in all the modern dictionaries.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 13th century – The Florentine ''Tesoro'' uses ''inseguire''.^(TLIO)

+ * 1363 – Zingarelli's date for the first record.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ * 1677 – Gualdo Priorato uses the verb for chasing enemy troops.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1869 – ''Inseguimento'' “pursuit” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1928 – ''Inseguitore'' “pursuer” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1953 – ''Inseguimento'' is recorded as a track cycling race.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|chase]], run after someone or something to catch or stop them: ''I poliziotti hanno inseguito il ladro per tre isolati.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(sports)'' To try to catch up with the leaders of a race: ''Il gruppo insegue i fuggitivi a un minuto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To follow closely in a ranking.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To [[m|en|pursue]] an aim that is hard to reach: ''Da anni insegue il sogno di aprire un ristorante.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Of thoughts or feelings, to [[m|en|haunt]], give no peace: ''Lo insegue il ricordo di quella notte.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(reciprocal, inseguirsi)'' To chase each other; to follow one another quickly.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[inseguimento]]

+ * [[inseguitore]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[seguire]]

+ * [[la|insequor]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}