praesto Latin · revision 9159

+ {{homograph|1|at hand, ready}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=derivation|attested=Terence|origins=la prae}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈprae̯s.toː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈprɛs.to]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''praestō''' (not comparable)^(Wiktionary)

+ Inscriptions have ''praestus'' and ''praestū''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ This adverb is from [[prae-]] “before”, and the OLD calls its ending obscure.^(OLD 2012) The TLL calls its origin uncertain.^(TLL) Wiktionary reports Pokorny's view that it continues an ablative ⟨*praistōd⟩ “ready, available”, which also underlies [[praestōlor]] “to wait for”, and Etymonline derives it from ⟨prae⟩ and ⟨stāre⟩ “to stand”.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citation is from Terence.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Terence 190–159 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Usually with ''esse'' or ''adesse'', it meant at hand, present, ready, available, as in Terence, and with a dative ready to serve someone, as in Lucilius, and Cicero has ''ibi mihi praestō fuit L. Lucīlius'' “there L. Lucilius was at hand for me”.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ British Medieval Latin used it for ready, available, at hand.^(DMLBS) Its Late Latin adjective ''praestus'' “ready” survives in Italian, Spanish and Portuguese ''presto'' and French ''prêt'', and Italian ''presto'' gave [[en|presto]] in the 1590s, “quickly”.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses it.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it with a dative.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # At hand, present, [[m|en|ready]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[praestus]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|to excel; to provide}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=Ennius|origins=la stō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈprae̯s.toː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈprɛs.to]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''praestō''' (present infinitive praestāre, perfect active praestitī or praestāvī, supine praestātum or praestitum); first conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+ The perfect is ''praestitī'', post-classically also ''praestāvī''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ This verb is from [[prae-]] “before” and [[stō]] “to stand”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citation for “to surpass” is from Ennius, who says the sea-weasel excels at Clupea.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its literal sense was to stand in front.^(Lewis & Short 1879) From that it meant to be outstanding, excel, surpass, as in Ennius, Terence and Cicero, to take precedence, and to be preferable.^(OLD 2012) In Cato it meant to hold out, offer, and in Cicero to show oneself as something, to supply, furnish, render, to fulfil a promise, as in Caesar, to produce a result, to keep safe, and to be answerable for, vouch for, make good a loss.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ It survives in Spanish ''prestar'' and French ''prêter'' “to lend”.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of surpassing.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of offering.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of supplying and vouching.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|excel]], surpass.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To be preferable.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To offer, present; to show oneself.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To supply, furnish, render.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To fulfil, perform.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To vouch for, guarantee.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[praestātiō]]

+ * [[praestes]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[stō]]

+ * [[praestōlor]]

+ * [[praestantia]]

+ * [[en|presto]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}