vacillo Latin · revision 6204

+ {{infobox|confidence=unknown|attested=Lucretius}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [waˈkɪl.loː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [vaˈt͡ʃil.lo]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''vacillō''' (present infinitive vacillāre, perfect active vacillāvī, supine vacillātum); first conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It has no good etymology.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) The OLD derives it from *wa-n-k-, as in [[convexus]], comparing [[sa|वञ्चति|tr=vañcati|t=moves to and fro]] and [[sa|वक्र|tr=vakrá|t=crooked]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Lucretius, who scans the first syllable long.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Köbler dates Lucretius 96–55 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant to be unsteady on one's feet, stagger, totter, as Cicero's man reeling with wine, and of things to be in a weak or precarious state, as accounts in disorder.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) Of people and their feelings it meant to waver, lack firmness, as a wavering legion.^(OLD 2012) Lewis and Short call it a favourite word of Cicero.^(Lewis & Short 1879) It was also spelled ''vaccillō''.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ It survives in French ''vaciller'', Italian ''vacillare'' and Spanish ''vacilar''.^(Wiktionary) [[en|vacillate]] is recorded in the 1590s, and of wavering opinion from the 1620s.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it often.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1590s – English ''vacillate'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|stagger]], [[m|en|totter]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(of things)'' To be weak or precarious.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To [[m|en|waver]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|vacillate]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}