verbthird conjugation
mittō
mittō (present infinitive mittere, perfect active mīsī, supine missum)
Classical[ˈmɪt.toː]Ecclesiastical[ˈmit.to]
№ 114 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary
Meaning
- to send, dispatch, cause to go, let go, release, discharge
- to put out, extend, reach out (one's hand)
- to announce, tell, report, send word, advise
- poeticto yield, furnish, produce, export
- to put an end to
- to let or bring out, put or send forth, send out, emit; let blood, bleed; utter a sound, speak, say
- to throw, hurl, fling, cast, launch, send; throw down, sprinkle
“Dēseruēre omnēs dēfessī, et corpora saltū ad terram mīsēre aut ignibus aegra dedēre.” “All [of my men], exhausted, had given up [the fight], and with a leap had flung [themselves] to the ground [below] or else consigned their weakened bodies to the flames.” (Syncopation: mīsēre, mīsēr[unt].)
29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 2.565–566 - to attend, guide, escort
- to dedicate (a book or poem to someone to compliment them)
- to dismiss, disregard
mitte hanc de pectore curam
Dismiss this anxiety from your heartVergil. Aeneid, VI, 85 - poeticto pass over, forbear, cease
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
faciō ut eat; litterās domum mittō.mittō -ere mīsī — in Mille Verba, Castra in Aegyptō
to send
mittō -ere — in Viri Romae Facillimi, ch. 1
Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms
Mittere · Legare · Amittere · Dimittere · Omittere
1. Mittere μεθεῖναι is the general expression, to send; legare (from λέγω) has a special political meaning, to delegate. The missus makes his appearance as a servant or messenger; the legatus, as a representative. 2. Amittere and dimittere mean to let go any thing already in one’s possession; amittere, against one’s will, as to lose; dimittere, after having used it, as to dismiss; whereas omittere means to let anything pass by, without taking possession of it; to speak with precision, Amittimus inviti et casu, omittimus volentes et sponte. Hence amittere occasionem means, to let slip an opportunity, so as not to be able to take advantage of it, from negligence; whereas omittere occasionem means, to renounce an opportunity, so as not to wish to take advantage of it, from attaching little value to it. Vitam amittere means, to lose one’s life; vitam omittere, to sacrifice it. (iii. 285.)
Conjugation conjugation 3
| form | present | imperfect | future | perfect | pluperfect | fut. perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | mittō | mittēbam | mittam | mīsī | mīseram | mīserō |
| 2nd sg. | mittis | mittēbās | mittēs | mīsistī mīstī | mīserās | mīseris |
| 3rd sg. | mittit | mittēbat | mittet | mīsit | mīserat | mīserit |
| 1st pl. | mittimus | mittēbāmus | mittēmus | mīsimus | mīserāmus | mīserimus |
| 2nd pl. | mittitis | mittēbātis | mittētis | mīsistis | mīserātis | mīseritis |
| 3rd pl. | mittunt | mittēbant | mittent | mīsērunt mīsēre | mīserant | mīserint |
active subjunctive
| form | present | imperfect | perfect | pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | mittam | mitterem | mīserim | mīsissem |
| 2nd sg. | mittās | mitterēs | mīserīs | mīsissēs |
| 3rd sg. | mittat | mitteret | mīserit | mīsisset |
| 1st pl. | mittāmus | mitterēmus | mīserīmus | mīsissēmus |
| 2nd pl. | mittātis | mitterētis | mīserītis | mīsissētis |
| 3rd pl. | mittant | mitterent | mīserint | mīsissent |
passive indicative
| form | present | imperfect | future |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | mittor | mittēbar | mittar |
| 2nd sg. | mitteris mittere | mittēbāris mittēbāre | mittēris mittēre |
| 3rd sg. | mittitur | mittēbātur | mittētur |
| 1st pl. | mittimur | mittēbāmur | mittēmur |
| 2nd pl. | mittiminī | mittēbāminī | mittēminī |
| 3rd pl. | mittuntur | mittēbantur | mittentur |
passive subjunctive
| form | present | imperfect |
|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | mittar | mitterer |
| 2nd sg. | mittāris mittāre | mitterēris mitterēre |
| 3rd sg. | mittātur | mitterētur |
| 1st pl. | mittāmur | mitterēmur |
| 2nd pl. | mittāminī | mitterēminī |
| 3rd pl. | mittantur | mitterentur |
imperative
| form | active | passive |
|---|---|---|
| pres. 2nd sg. | mitte | mittere |
| pres. 2nd pl. | mittite | mittiminī |
| fut. 2nd sg. | mittitō | mittitor |
| fut. 3rd sg. | mittitō | mittitor |
| fut. 2nd pl. | mittitōte | — |
| fut. 3rd pl. | mittuntō | mittuntor |
infinitives & participles
| form | active | passive |
|---|---|---|
| present infinitive | mittere | mittī |
| perfect infinitive | mīsisse | missum esse |
| future infinitive | missūrum esse | missum īrī |
| present participle | mittēns mittente, mittentem, mittentēs, mittentī, mittentia, mittentibus, mittentis, mittentīs, mittentium | — |
| perfect participle | — | missus missa, missā, missae, missam, missārum, missās, misse, missī, missīs, missō, missōrum, missōs |
| future participle | missūrus missūra, missūrā, missūrae, missūram, missūrārum, missūrās, missūre, missūrī, missūrīs, missūrō, missūrōrum, missūrōs, missūrum | mittendus mittundus |
gerundmittendī, mittendō, mittendumsupinemissum, missū
Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book
- mittere ad bellum
- to send to the war.
- foras mittere aliquem
- to turn some one out of the house.
- missis ambagibus dicere
- to speak without circumlocution.
- mittere Delphos consultum
- to send and consult the oracle at Delphi.
- litterae missae et allatae
- correspondence.
- obviam alicui aliquem mittere
- to send to meet a person.
- vitam beatam (miseram) degere
- to live a happy (unhappy) life.
- colōnos mittere (Div. 1. 1. 3)
- to send out colonists.
5 more phrases
- tela iacere, conicere, mittere
- to discharge missiles.
- librum mittere ad aliquem (Fin. 1. 3. 8)
- to dedicate a book to some one.
- vocem mittere (sonitum reddere of things)
- to speak, utter a sound.
- epistulam (litteras) dare, scribere, mittere ad aliquem
- to write a letter to some one.
- epistula ad Atticum data, scripta, missa or quae ad A. scripta est
- a letter to Atticus.
mitto, mīsi, missum, 3 (contr. form, misti for misisti, Cat. 14, 14: archaic
I. inf. pass. mittier, Plaut. Capt. 2, 3, 78), v. a. etym. dub.; cf. Sanscr. math-, to set in motion, to cause to go, let go, send, to send off, despatch, etc.
I. In gen.: ad Trojam cum misi ob defendendam Graeciam, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 3, 13, 28 (Trag. v. 362 Vahl.):
filium suum foras ad propinquum suum quendam mittit, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 26, § 66: signa ... quam plurima quam primumque mittas, id. Fam. 1, 8, 2: legatos de deditione ad eum miserunt, Caes. B. G. 1, 27: pabulatum mittebat, id. B. C. 1, 40: scitatum oracula, Verg. A. 2, 114: Delphos consultum, Nep. Them. 2, 6: missus sum, te ut requirerem, Ter. Phorm. 5, 6, 42: ego huc missa sum ludere, Plaut. Cas. 3, 5, 48: equitatum auxilio Caesari Aedui miserant, Caes. B. G. 1, 18: alicui subsidium, id. ib. 2, 6: ad subsidium, Hirt. Balb. Hisp. 9, 1: misi, pro amicitiā, qui hoc diceret, Cic. Phil. 1, 5, 12: qui solveret, id. Att. 1, 3, 2: mittite ambo hominem, Gai. Inst. 4, 16.—With acc. and inf.: Deiotarus legatos ad me misit, se cum omnibus copiis esse venturum, sent me word that, Cic. Fam. 15, 4, 5: ad collegam mittit, opus esse exercitu, Liv. 24, 19, 3: Publilius duo milia militum recepta miserat, id. 8, 23, 1: Dexagoridas miserat ad legatum Romanum traditurum se urbem, id. 34, 29, 9: statim Athenas mittit se cum exercitu venturum, Just. 5, 3, 7. Missum facere is also used for mittere, to send: ut cohortis ad me missum facias, Pompei. ap. Cic. Att. 8, 12, B, 2: aliquem morti, to put to death, despatch, Plaut. Capt. 3, 5, 34; so, ad mortem, Cic. Tusc. 1, 41, 97: in possessionem, to put in possession, id. Quint. 26, 83: aliquem ad cenam, to invite one to dinner, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 26, § 65: sub jugum mittere, to send or cause to go under the yoke, Caes. B. G. 1, 7: sub jugo, Liv. 3, 28 fin.— II. In partic.
A. To send word, announce, tell, report any thing to any one:
ut mihi vadimonia dilata et Chresti conpilationem mitteres, Cic. Fam. 2, 8, 1: Curio misi, ut medico honos haberetur, id. ib. 16, 9, 3: mitti ad principes placuit, ut secernerent se ab Etruscis, Liv. 6, 10, 2: hodie Spintherem exspecto: misit enim Brutus ad me, Cic. Att. 13, 10, 3: salutem alicui, to send greeting to, to greet one, Ov. Tr. 5, 13, 1: ita existimes velim, me antelaturum fuisse, si ad me misisses, voluntatem tuam commodo meo, i. e. if you had sent to me for aid, applied to me, Cic. Fam. 5, 20, 1.—B. To send as a compliment, to dedicate to any one, of a book or poem:
liber Antiochi, qui ab eo ad Balbum missus est, Cic. N. D. 1, 7, 16: hunc librum de Senectute ad te misimus, id. Sen. 1, 3.—C. To send, yield, produce, furnish, export any thing (as the product of a country):
India mittit ebur, molles sua tura Sabaei, Verg. G. 1, 57: (Padus) electra nuribus mittit gestanda Latinis, Ov. M. 2, 366; cf.: quos frigida misit Nursia, Verg. A. 7, 715: hordea, quae Libyci ratibus misere coloni, Ov. Med. Fac. 53: quas mittit dives Panchaia merces, Tib. 3, 2, 23; Ov. A. A. 3, 213; id. Am. 1, 12, 10.— D. To dismiss a thing from the mind:
maestumque timorem Mittite, Verg. A. 1, 203: mittere ac finire odium, Liv. 40, 46: leves spes, Hor. Ep. 1, 5, 8: missam iram facere, Ter. Hec. 5, 2, 14.—E. To put an end to, end:
certamen, Verg. A. 5, 286.— F. Esp. in speaking, etc., to pass over, omit, to give over, cease, forbear (cf.:
praetermitto, praetereo, relinquo): quin tu istas mittis tricas? Plaut. Most. 3, 1, 45: mitto proelia, praetereo oppugnationes oppidorum, omit, Cic. Mur. 15, 33: maledicta omnia, Ter. Ad. 5, 3, 9.—With inf.: jam scrutari mitto, Plaut. Aul. 4, 4, 24: mitte male loqui, Ter. And. 5, 3, 2: cetera mitte loqui, Hor. Epod. 13, 7: illud dicere, Cic. Quint. 27, 85: quaerere, id. Rosc. Am. 19, 53: mitto iam de rege quaerere, id. Sull. 7, 22: hoc exsequi mitto, Quint. 5, 10, 18: incommoda mortalium deflere, Val. Max. 7, 2, ext. 2.— With quod: mitto, quod omnes meas tempestates subire paratissimus fueris, Cic. Fam. 15, 4, 12.—With de. mitto de amissā maximā parte exercitūs (sc. dicere), Cic. Pis. 20, 47: verum, ut haec missa faciam, quae, etc., id. Rosc. Am. 45, 132: missos facere quaestus triennii, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 44, § 104.—G. To let go, let loose, to quit, release, dismiss: mitte rudentem, sceleste, Tr. Mittam, Plaut. Rud. 4, 3, 77:
unde mittuntur equi, nunc dicuntur carceres, Varr. L. L. 5, § 153 Müll.: quadrijuges aequo carcere misit equos, Ov. Am. 3, 2, 66; Plaut. Poen. prol. 100: mittin' me intro? will you let me go in? id. Truc. 4, 2, 43: cutem, to let go, quit, Hor. A. P. 476: mitte me, let me alone, Ter. Ad. 5, 2, 5: nos missos face, id. And. 5, 1, 14: missum fieri, to be let loose, set at liberty, Nep. Eum. 11: eum missum feci, Caes. ap. Cic. Att. 9, 7, G, 2: nec locupletare amicos umquam suos destitit, mittere in negotium, to set up in business, Cic. Rab. Post. 2, 4: sub titulum lares, to put a bill on one's house, i. e. to offer it for sale or to be let, Ov. R. Am. 302: in consilium, to let the judges go and consult, i. e. to send the judges to make out their verdict, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 9, § 26: sues in hostes, to set upon, Lucr. 5, 1309: se in aliquem, to fall upon, assail, attack: vota enim faceretis, ut in eos se potius mitteret, quam in vestras possessiones, Cic. Mil. 28, 76 (B. and K. immitteret): se in foedera, to enter into, conclude, make, Verg. A. 12, 190: missos faciant honores, to let go, renounce, not trouble one's self about, Cic. Sest. 66, 138: vos missos facio, et quantum potest, abesse ex Africā jubeo, Hirt. B. Afr. 54: missam facere legionem, to dismiss, Suet. Caes. 69: remotis, sive omnino missis lictoribus, Cic. Att. 9, 1, 3: Lolliam Paulinam conjunxit sibi, brevique missam fecit, put her away, Suet. Calig. 25; Ter. Phorm. 4, 3, 70.—H. To let or bring out, to put forth, send out, emit: sanguinem incisā venā, to let blood, to bleed, Cels. 2, 10:
sanguinem alicui, id. ib.; Petr. 91.—Trop.: mittere sanguinem provinciae, to bleed, i. e. drain, exhaust, Cic. Att. 6, 1, 2; cf.: missus est sanguis invidiae sine dolore, id. ib. 1, 16, 11: radices, to put forth roots, to take root, Col. 3, 18: folium, to put forth leaves, Plin. 18, 7, 10, § 58: florem, to blossom, bloom, id. 24, 9, 38, § 59: membranas de corpore, to throw off, shed, Lucr. 4, 57: serpens horrenda sibila misit, gave forth, emitted, Ov. M. 3, 38: mittere vocem, to utter a sound, raise one's voice, speak, say: vocem pro me ac pro re publica nemo mittit, speaks a word, Cic. Sest. 19, 42: vocem liberam, to speak with freedom, Liv. 35, 32: flens diu vocem non misit, id. 3, 50, 4: adeo res miraculo fuit, ut unus ex barbaris miserit vocem, etc., Flor. 4, 10, 7: repente vocem sancta misit Religio, Phaedr. 4, 11, 4: nec labra moves, cum mittere vocem debueras, Juv. 13, 114: haec Scipionis oratio ex ipsius ore Pompeii mitti videbatur, Caes. B. C. 1, 2: Afranios sui timoris signa misisse, have showed signs of fear, id. ib. 71: signa, Verg. G. 1, 229: signum sanguinis, to show signs of blood, look bloody, Lucr. 1, 882.—K. To send, throw, hurl, cast, launch:
hastam, Ov. M. 11, 8: pila, Caes. B. C. 3, 93: lapides in aliquem, to throw, Petr. 90: fulmina, to hurl, Hor. C. 1, 12, 59: aliquid igni, Val. Fl. 3, 313: de ponte, to cast, precipitate, Cat. 17, 23: praecipitem aliquem ex arce, Ov. M. 8, 250: se saxo ab alto, to cast one's self down, id. ib. 11, 340: se in rapidas aquas, id. Am. 3, 6, 80: se in medium, to plunge into the midst, Quint. 11, 1, 54. —Of nets: retia misit, Juv. 2, 148.—Of dice, to throw: talis enim jactatis, ut quisque canem, aut senionem miserat, etc., Aug. ap. Suet. Aug. 71: talos in phimum, Hor. S. 2, 7, 17: panem alicui, to throw to, Phaedr. 1, 22, 3: Alexandrum manum ad arma misisse, laid his hand on his weapons, Sen. Ira, 2, 2: pira in vasculo, Pall. 3, 25, 11: fert missos Vestae pura patella cibos, Ov. F. 6, 310: accidere in mensas ut rosa missa solet, which one has let fall, id. ib. 5, 360.—L. = πέμπειν, to attend, guide, escort:
alias (animas) sub Tartara tristia mittit (Mercurius), Verg. A. 4, 243; cf.: sic denique victor Trinacriā fines Italos mittēre relictā, id. ib. 3, 440.—Hence, P. a.: Missus, a, um; as subst.: Missus, i, m., he that is sent, the messenger or ambassador of God, i. e. Christ, Arn. 2, 73; Isid. 7, 2, 35.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
mittō mīsī (mīstī, for mīsistī, Ct.), missus, ere
MIT-, to cause to go, let go, send, send off, despatch : ad Troiam ob defendendam Graeciam, Enn. ap. C.: alquem ad hoc negotium, S.: illum pro consule mittere: legatos de deditione ad eum, Cs.: Tanaim neci, V.: in possessionem, put in possession : filium foras ad propinquum mittit ad cenam, sends out : sub iugum, send under the yoke , Cs.: sub iugo, L.: legatos qui dicerent, esse, etc., Cs.: miserunt qui emerent, etc.: legatos rogatum auxilium, Cs.: Delphos consultum, N.: legati missi postulantes, etc., L.: Eurypylum scitantem oracula Mittimus, V.: in Oceanum me quaerere gemmas, Pr.: misit orare, ut venirem, T.— To send word, announce, tell, report, advise, send orders : tibi salutem, send greeting , O.: nuntios ad eum, velle, etc., S.: legatos ad me, se venturum, send me word that : ad conlegam mittit, opus esse exercitu, L.: in Siciliam misit, ut equitatus mitteretur, Cs.: Curio misi, ut medico honos haberetur: mitti ad principes placuit, ut secernerent se ab Etruscis, L.— To send as a compliment, dedicate, inscribe : liber ab eo ad Balbum missus: librum ad te de senectute.— To send, yield, produce, furnish, export : India mittit ebur, V.: (Padus) electra nuribus mittit gestanda Latinis, O.— To dismiss, forget, put away : odium, L.: levīs spes, H.: missam iram facere, T.: certamen, end , V.—In speaking, to pass over, pass by, dismiss, omit, give over, cease, forbear : mitte id quod scio, dic quod rogo, never mind what , etc., T.: mitto proelia: mitto ea, quae, etc., V.: mitte sectari, etc., do not , H.: Cetera mitte loqui, H.: illud dicere: pro nobis mitte precari, O.: mitto, quid tum sit actum: mitto, quod fueris, etc.: mitto de amissā maximā parte exercitūs (sc. dicere): missos facere quaestūs trienni. — To let go, let loose, quit, release, dismiss : carceribus missi currūs, H.: cutem, H.: mitte me, let me alone , T.: nos missos face, have done with us , T.: missus abibis, scot-free , H.: misso senatu, Cs.: ex oppido mitti, be let out , Cs.: missum fieri, be set at liberty , N.: amicos in negotium, to set up in business : sub titulum lares, put a bill on the house , i. e. offer for sale , O.: in consilium, i. e. send the judges to make their verdict : se in foedera, enter into , V.: me in iambos, drive , H.: missos faciant honores, renounce.—To let out, put forth, send out, emit : sanguinem provinciae, bleed , i. e. exhaust : serpens sibila misit, O.: vocem pro me nemo mittit, speaks a word : vocem liberam, speak with freedom , L.: Thyesteas preces, H.: Afranianos sui timoris signa misisse, showed signs of fear , Cs. — To send, throw, hurl, cast, launch : tanta caelo missa vis aquae, S.: pila, Cs.: fulmina, H.: se saxo ab alto, cast down , O.: se in aquas, O.: retia misit, cast , Iu.: talos in phimum, H.: panem cani, Ph.: panem, throw away , Cs.: aquas, sprinkle , O.: rosa missa, let fall , O.— To attend, guide, escort : (animas) sub Tartara, V.
Origins
Likely from mītō via the so-called littera rule, from Proto-Italic *meitō, from Proto-Indo-European *meyth₂- (“exchange, remove”), an extension of the root *mey- (“change”). From the original meaning “to exchange” a semantic shift occurred to “to give, bestow” and then “to let go, send”. Cognate with South Picene meitims, meitimúm (“monument”, nom. and acc. sg. respectively). External cognates include Sanskrit मेथति (méthati, “to become hostile, quarrel”), and Gothic 𐌹𐌽𐌼𐌰𐌹𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (inmaidjan, “to change”). Sihler explains the perfect form mīsī as a derivative of *mīss-, itself from *mīt-s-. Based on the attested hapax legomenon cōsmittō for committō, some reconstruct the root with an initial s-, but De Vaan regards the hapax as not trustworthy enough. If the root is reconstructed with an initial s-, then the term may connect to Proto-Germanic *smītaną.
Descendants
- Catalanmetre
- Frenchmettre
- Italianmettere
- Occitanmetre
- Occitanmetar
- Portuguesemeter
- Sardinianmíntere
- Sardinianmíntiri
- Sardinianmintire
- Spanishmeter
In English words that came into English from mittō
- promiseprōmissa
- messagemissāticum
- missionmissiō
- permitpermittō
- admitadmittō
- commissioncommissiō
- dismissdimissus
- commitcommittō
- permissionpermissiō
- committeecommittere
- mass*messa
- demisedēmissa
- remissionremissiō
- premisepremissa
- emitēmittō
- omitomittō
- remitremittō
- transmittrānsmittō
- missilemissile
- admissionadmissio
- transmissiontransmissionem
- submitsubmittere
- submissionsubmissio
- commissarcommissarius