100 Latin Verbs Face-Off (Part 3)

[D] to fear | Source of "timid" and "intimidate" - Romans personified Fear (Timor) as a god who accompanied Mars in battle. Even brave soldiers honored Timor!

[C] to owe | Literally "away from having" (de + habēre) - root of "debt" and "duty." Romans saw obligations as things taken from your possessions!

[B] to move | Parent of "motion," "emotion," and "commotion" - Romans understood that feelings were movements of the soul. "Movēre bellum" meant starting a war!

[C] to lie | Source of "adjacent" (lying next to) - not to be confused with iacere (to throw)! Romans inscribed "Hic iacet" (Here lies) on tombs.

[B] to be accustomed | A defective verb (no future tense) because Romans figured you can't predict future habits! "Ut solet" (as is customary) appeared in legal documents.

[A] to dare | Root of "audacious" - this semi-deponent verb showed Romans believed daring required both action and passion. "Audentēs fortūna iuvat" (Fortune favors the bold)!

[B] to please | Source of "placate" and "pleasant" - took the dative case because Romans saw pleasing as giving something to someone. "Placet" meant "it is decided" in the Senate!

[A] to release | Root of "solve," "dissolve," and "absolute" - Romans saw problem-solving as untying knots. Ships would "solvere" (set sail) by releasing mooring ropes!

[B] to remain | Source of "mansion," "permanent," and "remain" itself! Romans valued permanence so much they called their road stops "mānsiōnēs."

[A] to be silent | Root of "tacit" and "reticent" - Romans had a saying "tacet, cōnsentit" (silence gives consent). Sometimes the most powerful rhetoric was saying nothing!

[A] to teach | Source of "doctor" (originally teacher) and "doctrine" - Romans valued teaching so much that "docēre" also meant "to inform" in legal contexts!

[B] to rejoice | A semi-deponent verb showing joy required both action and feeling! "Gaudium" (joy) was considered more refined than "laetitia" (happiness).

[A] to mix | Root of "mixture," "miscellaneous," and "meddle" - Roman bartenders (caupōnēs) were notorious for mixing (adulterating) wine with water!

[D] to weep | Professional mourners (praeficae) were hired to flēre at Roman funerals - the more tears, the more important the deceased was considered!

[C] to sit | Root of "sedentary," "president" (one who sits before), and "siege" (sitting outside walls)! Roman senators literally got their name from sitting in council.

[D] to harm | Source of "innocent" (not harming) and "noxious" - unusually took the dative case, as Romans saw harm as something done "to" someone, not a direct action.

[D] to answer | Literally "promise back" - root of "respond" and "responsible." Roman responses were seen as binding promises, making conversation serious business!

[A] to be strong | Source of "value," "valid," and "valiant" - "Valē!" was the standard Roman goodbye, literally wishing someone strength!

[B] to lie open | Root of "patent" (originally "open to all") - Roman shops would announce "patet" (it's open) to attract customers!

[A] to lack (+ abl.) | Unusually took ablative of what's lacking - Romans thought of lacking as being "away from" something. "Carēre dolōre" meant being free from pain!

[B] to train | Source of "exercise" - literally "drive out" laziness! Roman soldiers did daily exercitia including swimming in full armor. No gym membership needed!

[A] to furnish | Literally "hold forth" (prae + habeō) - Romans used this for everything from providing dinner to presenting evidence in court!

[B] to restrain | Literally "hold away" - source of "prohibit." Roman bouncers were called "prohibitōrēs" - they literally held troublemakers away from venues!

[D] to blaze | Root of "ardent" and "arson" - Romans used it for both literal fire and burning passion. "Ārdēre amōre" meant burning with love!

[D] to hold back | Source of "retain" and "retention" - compound of re + teneō. Roman teachers would retinēre students after class for extra instruction!

[C] to fill in | Root of "implement" and "complete" - Romans saw completion as filling something up. "Implēre promissa" meant fulfilling promises!

[C] to lie hidden | Source of "latent" - things lying hidden waiting to emerge. Roman children played "latēre" (hide and seek) just like kids today!

[D] to terrify | Root of "terrible," "terror," and "deter" - Romans used it so much in warfare that "terror" became a legitimate military tactic!

[C] to increase | Source of "augment" and "auction" (where prices increase through bidding). Roman priests called "augurs" interpreted signs to increase divine favor!

[D] to warn | Root of "monitor," "admonish," and "monument" (which warns future generations)! Roman monuments literally "warned" people to remember!

[B] to hold up | Source of "sustain" - literally "hold from below." Roman architecture's secret was understanding how arches sustinēre massive weights!

[B] to feel pain or grief | Root of "condolences" and "dolorous" - Romans distinguished physical pain (dolor) from emotional grief (dolēre). Both hurt!

[C] to contain | Source of "continent" (land holding together) and "contents" - Romans saw self-control as "containing oneself" (sē continēre)!

[C] to appear | Root of "apparent" and "appearance" - originally meant "to attend upon." Roman servants would appārēre to their masters each morning!

[A] to obey | Source of "parent" (one who is obeyed) - took dative because Romans saw obedience as appearing "for" someone!

[C] to deserve | Root of "merit" - also meant serving as a soldier. Romans believed military service earned citizenship - you literally "deserved" to be Roman!

[A] to extend over | Source of "pertinent" (stretching to the matter) - Romans used this to show relevance. "Quod ad mē pertinet" = "as far as I'm concerned"!

[D] to assess | Root of "census" - Roman censors did more than count people; they assessed moral worthiness for citizenship ranks!

[D] to be on guard | Source of "caution" and "caveat" - "Cavē canem!" (Beware of dog!) was found on Pompeii mosaics. Ancient security signs!

[C] to apply | Literally "hold toward" - Romans would adhibēre witnesses to legal proceedings, medicines to wounds, or effort to tasks!