levo Latin · revision 5105

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *h₁legʷʰ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈɫɛ.woː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈlɛː.vo]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''levō''' (present infinitive levāre, perfect active levāvī, supine levātum); first conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|levis|-ō|t1=light in weight]].^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008) The adjective is [[inh|itc-pro|*leχu-]], [[inh|ine-pro|*h₁legʷʰ-u-|t=light]], cognate with [[sa|रघु|tr=raghú|t=fleet]], [[grc|ἐλαχύς|tr=elakhús|t=small]], [[lt|leñgvas|t=light]] and [[got|𐌻𐌴𐌹𐌷𐍄𐍃|tr=leihts|t=light]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus,^(de Vaan 2008) who uses it of relieving a poor girl's poverty.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010) Ennius has an old future perfect ''levassō''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant to make light, and so to relieve someone of a burden, to lessen force or power, and to make pain, toil or grief easier to bear.^(OLD 2012) It also meant to lift or raise up, and to lift off a load.^(OLD 2012) Lewis and Short note that this sense is mostly poetic and post-Augustan.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ It survives in [[it|levare]], [[fr|lever]] and [[ro|lua]].^(Wiktionary) Through French ''lever'' “to raise” it gave [[en|levy]], [[en|lever]], [[en|levee]] and [[en|Levant]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of relieving poverty.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses the old future perfect ''levassō''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it of raising the fearful by hand.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1300 – English ''lever'' is recorded, from Old French ''levier''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To lift, [[m|en|raise]] up.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To lift off (a load).^(OLD 2012)

+ # To relieve, rid (of a burden); to lighten.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To reduce, [[m|en|lessen]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # To relieve, [[m|en|alleviate]] (pain, grief).^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[allevō]]

+ * [[ēlevo]]

+ * [[levāmentum]]

+ * [[levātiō]]

+ * [[levātus]]

+ * [[prōlevo]]

+ * [[relevō]]

+ * [[sublevō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[levis]]

+ * [[levitās]]

+ * [[leviter]]

+ * [[en|levy]]

+ * [[en|lever]]

+ * [[en|elevate]]

+ * [[en|relieve]]

+ * [[en|levity]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A different verb [[la|lēvō|alt=lēvō]], with a long ''ē'', from [[lēvis]] “smooth”, meant to make smooth, polish, and to remove hair.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}