Sunday, May 29, 2011

Verbum Hodiernum: VENIO



Today's word is the verb VENIO, meaning "come." You can see the Latin word used in the English legal expression "venire" (an abbreviation for venire facias). Via French, we also get the word "venue," which originally meant a place where the military was coming to attack, but which now refers more generally to where people come for a sporting event or some other entertainment.

The word "avenue" reaches us the same way via French, ultimately from the Latin compound advenire, and likewise "revenue" from revenire. There are all kinds of words that come from venire in its compounded forms: "convene," "contravene," "intervene," for example, and also "circumvention," "invention," "prevention," "subvention." The word "souvenir" is yet another example - it ultimately comes from Latin subvenire, "come to mind."

Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs; for more information, see the page at the Scala Sapientiae, which contains notes on some of the proverbs cited below, as well as additional proverbs:

Veni, vidi, vici.

Ad maiora veniamus.

Nox tibi longa venit nec reditura dies.

Multi ad fatum venere suum, dum fata timent.

Tarde venientes, male sedentes.

Citius venit periclum cum contemnitur.

Metus cum venit, rarum habet somnus locum.

Hoc sustinete, maius ne veniat malum.

Certandum est: nulli veniunt sine Marte triumphi.

Ad magna praemia magno labore venitur.

Propera, nec venturas differ in horas.

Hora ruit; venit mors.

Nondum venit hora mea.

Non semper aestas erit: venit hiems.

Insta, ne cesses; venient post semina messes.

Quamvis tarda venit, sors sua quemque ferit.

Quando venit potus, cessat sermo quasi totus.

Sera tamen tacitis poena venit pedibus.

Praestat sero quam non venire.

Sero venientes, male sedentes.





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