CON CON-TRACT con (n.1) Look up con at Dictionary negation (mainly in pro and con), 1570s, short for Latin contra against (see contra). con (n.2) Look up con at Dictionary study, early 15c., from Old English cunnan to know, know how (see can (v.1)). con (adj.) Look up con at Dictionary swindling, 1889, American English, from confidence man (1849), from the many scams in which the victim is induced to hand over money as a token of confidence. Confidence with a sense of assurance based on insufficient grounds dates from 1590s. con (n.3) Look up con at Dictionary a slang or colloquial shortening of various nouns beginning in con-, e.g., from the 19th century, confidant, conundrum, conformist, convict, contract, and from the 20th century, conductor, conservative. con (v.1) Look up con at Dictionary to guide ships, 1620s, from French conduire to conduct, lead, guide (10c.), from Latin conducere (see conduce). Related: Conned; conning. con (v.2) Look up con at Dictionary to swindle, 1896, from con (adj.). Related: Conned; conning. con- Look up con- at Dictionary word-forming element meaning together, with, sometimes merely intensive; the form of com- used in Latin before consonants except -b-, -p-, -l-, -m-, or -r-. In native English formations, co- tends to be used where Latin would use con- (e.g. costar). conation (n.) Look up conation at Dictionary in philosophical use from 1836, from Latin conationem (nominative conatio) an endeavoring, effort, noun of action from past participle stem of conari to endeavor, to try, from PIE *kona-, from root *ken- to set oneself in motion. conative (adj.) Look up conative at Dictionary 1836, from Latin conat-, past participle stem of conari to endeavor, to try (see conation) + -ive. concatenate (v.) Look up concatenate at Dictionary c.1600, from Late Latin concatenatus, past participle of concatenare to link together (see concatenation). Related: Concatenated; concatenating. concatenation (n.) Look up concatenation at Dictionary c.1600, from Late Latin concatenationem (nominative concatenatio) a linking together, noun of action from past participle stem of concatenare to link together, from com- together (see com-) + catenare, from catena a chain (see chain (n.)). concave (adj.) Look up concave at Dictionary early 15c., from Old French concave (14c.) or directly from Latin concavus hollow, arched, vaulted, curved, from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + cavus hollow (see cave (n.)). concavity (n.) Look up concavity at Dictionary c.1400, from Old French concavité hollow, concavity (14c.) or directly from Latin concavitatem (nominative concavitas), from Latin concavus hollow (see concave). conceal (v.) Look up conceal at Dictionary early 14c., concelen, from Old French conceler to hide, conceal, dissimulate, from Latin concelare to hide, from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + celare to hide, from PIE root *kel- to hide (see cell). Replaced Old English deagan. Related: Concealed; concealing. concealment (n.) Look up concealment at Dictionary early 14c. (late 13c. in Anglo-French), from Old French concelement concealment, secrecy, from conceler to hide (see conceal). Originally a term in law; general sense is from c.1600. concede (v.) Look up concede at Dictionary 1630s, from Middle French concéder or directly from Latin concedere give way, yield, go away, depart, retire, figuratively agree, consent, give precedence, from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + cedere to go, grant, give way (see cede). Related: Conceded; conceding. conceit (n.) Look up conceit at Dictionary late 14c., something formed in the mind, thought, notion, from conceiven (see conceive) based on analogy of deceit and receipt. Sense evolved from something formed in the mind, to fanciful or witty notion (1510s), to vanity (c.1600) through shortening of self-conceit (1580s). conceited (adj.) Look up conceited at Dictionary c.1600, having an overweening opinion of oneself (short for self-conceited, 1590s); earlier having intelligence (1540s); past participle adjective from conceit (q.v.). conceivable (adj.) Look up conceivable at Dictionary mid-15c. (implied in conceivableness), from conceive + -able. Originally in a now-obsolete sense that can be received. Meaning that can be imagined is attested from 1620s (in conceivably). conceive (v.) Look up conceive at Dictionary late 13c., conceiven, take (seed) into the womb, become pregnant, from stem of Old French conceveir (Modern French concevoir), from Latin concipere (past participle conceptus) to take in and hold; become pregnant, from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + comb. form of capere to take, from PIE *kap- to grasp (see capable). Meaning take into the mind is from mid-14c., a figurative sense also found in the Old French and Latin words. Related: Conceived; conceiving. concent (n.) Look up concent at Dictionary harmony, 1580s, from Latin concentus a singing together, harmony, from concinere to sing or sound together, from com- with, together (see com-) + canere to sing (see chant (v.)). Often misspelled consent or confused with that word. concentrate (v.) Look up concentrate at Dictionary 1630s, to bring or come to a common center, from concenter (1590s), from Italian concentrare, from Latin com- together (see com-) + centrum center (see center (n.)). Meaning condense is from 1680s. Sense of mentally focus is c.1860. Related: Concentrated; concentrating. concentrate (n.) Look up concentrate at Dictionary 1883, from concentrate (v.). concentration (n.) Look up concentration at Dictionary 1630s, action of bringing to a center, noun of action from verb concentrate (v.). Meaning a mass so collected is from 1670s; continuous focus of mental activity is from 1846. concentration camp (n.) Look up concentration camp at Dictionary 1901, compound for noncombatants in a war zone (see concentration); a controversial idea from the second Boer War (1899-1902), and the term emerged with a bad odor. In reference to prisons for dissidents and minorities in Nazi Germany from 1934, in Soviet Russia from 1935. concentric (adj.) Look up concentric at Dictionary c.1400, from Middle French concentrique, from Medieval Latin concentricus, from com- together (see com-) + centrum circle, center (see center (n.)). concept (n.) Look up concept at Dictionary 1550s, from Medieval Latin conceptum draft, abstract, in classical Latin (a thing) conceived, from concep-, past participle stem of concipere to take in (see conceive). In some 16c. cases a refashioning of conceit (perhaps to avoid negative connotations). conception (n.) Look up conception at Dictionary early 14c., act of conceiving, from Old French concepcion (Modern French conception) conception, grasp, comprehension, from Latin conceptionem (nominative conceptio) a comprehending, conception, noun of action from stem of concipere (see conceive). Originally in the womb sense (also with reference to Conception Day in the Church calendar); mental sense process of forming concepts is late 14c. Meaning that which is conceived in the mind is from 1520s; general notion is from 1785. conceptive (adj.) Look up conceptive at Dictionary 1630s, from Latin conceptivus, from conceptus, past participle of concipere (see conceive). conceptual (adj.) Look up conceptual at Dictionary 1820, pertaining to mental conception (there is an isolated use from 1662), from Medieval Latin conceptualis, from Latin conceptus a collecting, gathering, conceiving, past participle of concipere (see conceive). Related: Conceptualism; conceptualist. conceptualisation (n.) Look up conceptualisation at Dictionary chiefly British English spelling of conceptualization; for spelling, see -ize. conceptualise (v.) Look up conceptualise at Dictionary chiefly British English spelling of conceptualize; for suffix, see -ize. Related: Conceptualised; conceptualising. conceptualization (n.) Look up conceptualization at Dictionary 1866; see conceptual + -ization. Perhaps based on French conceptualisation (1862). conceptualize (v.) Look up conceptualize at Dictionary 1892, from conceptual + -ize. Related: Conceptualized; conceptualizing. conceptually (adv.) Look up conceptually at Dictionary 1842, from conceptual + -ly (2). concern (v.) Look up concern at Dictionary early 15c., perceive, distinguish, also refer to, relate to, from Middle French concerner, from Medieval Latin concernere concern, touch, belong to, figurative use of Late Latin concernere to sift, mix, as in a sieve, from Latin com- with (see com-) + cernere to sift, hence perceive, comprehend (see crisis). Apparently the sense of the prefix shifted to intensive in Medieval Latin. Meaning worry is 17c. Related: Concerned; concerning. Letter opening to whom it may concern attested by 1740. concern (n.) Look up concern at Dictionary 1580s, from concern (v.). concert (n.) Look up concert at Dictionary 1660s, agreement, accord, harmony, from French concert (16c.), from Italian concerto concert, harmony, from concertare bring into agreement, in Latin to contend, contest, dispute, from com- with (see com-) + certare to contend, strive, frequentative of certus, variant past participle of cernere separate, decide (see crisis). Before the word entered English, meaning shifted from to strive against to to strive alongside. Sense of public musical performance is 1680s. But Klein considers this too much of a stretch and suggests Latin concentare to sing together (from con- + cantare to sing) as the source of the Italian word in the musical sense. concertina (n.) Look up concertina at Dictionary 1835, from concert + fem. ending -ina. Portable musical instrument invented 1829 by Sir Charles Wheatstone. Concertina wire attested by 1917, so called from similarity to the musical instrument. concerto (n.) Look up concerto at Dictionary 1730, from Italian concerto (see concert). Concerto grosso is from 1724. concession (n.) Look up concession at Dictionary mid-15c., from Old French concession (14c.) or directly from Latin concessionem (nominative concessio) an allowing, conceding, noun of action from past participle stem of concedere (see concede). Meaning right or privilege granted by government is from 1650s. Refreshment stand sense is from 1910. concessionaire (n.) Look up concessionaire at Dictionary 1862, from French concessionaire person to whom a concession has been granted, from concession, from Latin concessionem (see concession). conch (n.) Look up conch at Dictionary type of shell, early 15c., from Latin concha shellfish, mollusk, from Greek konkhe mussel, shell, from PIE root *konkho-. The name for natives of Florida Keys since at least 1833; the prefered pronunciation there (kongk) preserves the classical one. concierge (n.) Look up concierge at Dictionary 1640s, from French concierge caretaker, doorkeeper, porter (12c.), probably from Vulgar Latin *conservius, from Latin conservus fellow slave, from com- with (see com-) + servius slave (see serve (v.)). conciliate (v.) Look up conciliate at Dictionary 1540s, from Latin conciliatus, past participle of conciliare to bring together, unite in feelings, make friendly, from concilium council (see council). Related: Conciliated; conciliating. conciliation (n.) Look up conciliation at Dictionary 1540s, from Middle French conciliation, from Latin conciliationem (nominative conciliatio) a connection, union, bond, figuratively a making friendly, gaining over, noun of action from past participle stem of conciliare (see conciliate). conciliatory (adj.) Look up conciliatory at Dictionary 1570s, from conciliate + -ory. Related: Conciliator. concise (adj.) Look up concise at Dictionary 1580s, from Latin concisus cut off, brief, past participle of concidere to cut off, cut up, cut through, cut to pieces, from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + caedere to cut (see -cide). Related: Concisely. conciseness (n.) Look up conciseness at Dictionary expression of much in few words, 1650s, from concise + -ness. [Conciseness] is the English word familiar to the ordinary man: concision is the LITERARY CRITICS WORD, more recent in English, used by writers under French influence & often requiring the reader to stop & think whether he knows its meaning. [Fowler] concision (n.) Look up concision at Dictionary late 14c., cutting away, mutilation, also, from 16c., circumcision, from Latin concisionem a separation into divisions, literally a cutting up, noun of action from past participle stem of concidere to cut up (see concise). From 18c. it began to be used in the sense of conciseness (q.v.).
Posted on: Sun, 26 Jan 2014 09:52:24 +0000
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