frenum Latin · revision 5624

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=inherited|attested=Accius|origins=ine-pro *dʰer-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈfreː.nũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfrɛː.num]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''frēnum''' ''n'' (genitive frēnī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*frēno-]], perhaps from [[ine-pro|*dʰr-eh₁-no-|t=holding]], from the root *dʰer- “to hold”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Walde and Hofmann connected it with [[frētus]] “relying on”, while Ernout and Meillet proposed *freds-no-, from [[frendō]] “to gnash”, “what horses chew on”, which de Vaan thinks possible but not straightforward.^(de Vaan 2008) The masculine plural [[m|la|frēnī]], usual in prose, may continue an old dual ending.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler date it from Accius, who has men fit bridles to the horses' mouths.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Accius 170–c. 90 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was a horse's bridle, with the reins and bit, and in many phrases figuratively a restraint: ''frēnōs recipere'' “to submit to the bridle”, and Cicero's ''frēnum mordēre'' “to take the bit between one's teeth”.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) It was used as a check or curb on people and passions, and by transfer of ties that hold masonry together and, in medicine, of a retaining ligament.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ It survives in [[it|freno]], [[fr|frein]] and [[es|freno]], and [[refrēnō]] “to curb” gave [[en|refrain]] in the mid-14th century.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) Anatomy took [[en|frenum]] for a fold that restrains an organ in 1741.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 170–c. 90 BC – Accius has horses bridled.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of taking the bit between one's teeth.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * mid-14th century – English ''refrain'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1741 – English ''frenum'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|bridle]], [[m|en|bit]], harness.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''frēnōs recipere'', to submit to the bridle.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A restraint, curb.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A tie (in masonry), ''(medicine)'' a ligament.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[effrēnis]]

+ * [[effrēnus]]

+ * [[frēniger]]

+ * [[frēnō]]

+ * [[infrēnis]]

+ * [[infrēnus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[frēnātiō]]

+ * [[frēnātor]]

+ * [[frētus]]

+ * [[en|refrain]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein distinguishes ''frēnum'', the bridle by which the rider breaks a wild horse, from [[habēna]], the rein by which he turns an obedient one.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}