Dictionary formimpetus, impetus(masculine)
Translation
attack, assault; force, impulse
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Grammar
Cases
| Case | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominativethe subject | impetus | impetus |
| Vocativecalling someone: O ... | impetus | impetus |
| Accusativethe direct object; after ad, in (into), per | impetum | impetus |
| Genitiveof | impetus | impetuum |
| Dativeto, for | impetui | impetibus |
| Ablativeby, with, from; after a, ab, cum, de, e, ex, in (in), sine | impetu | impetibus |
Examples
.
They withstood the enemy assault.
.
An attack was made on the city.
.
At the first charge they fled.
.
The force of the river was great.
.
He made a charge against the enemy.
Impetus, impetus, m., is fourth declension, from in plus peto - a going at something. Genitive singular is impetus, spelled like the nominative, and the dative and ablative plural impetibus barely appear.
Two idioms do most of the work in the historians: impetum facere in with the accusative, "to charge at", and impetum sustinere or ferre, "to take the charge". Outside war it is the force of a river, a wind or a crowd, and the drive behind a feeling. English kept only the abstract half of that, so "impetus" now means momentum in a lecture rather than cavalry at the gallop; when Caesar writes impetus he means horses. The related noun petitio and the verb impetro, "obtain by asking", show how far the root travels.
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impetus: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Latin word "impetus" (attack, assault; force, impulse): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is taught in chapter 5, lesson 7: impetus, saxum, quippe and 7 more words.