verbfirst conjugation
nūtō
nūtō (present infinitive nūtāre, perfect active nūtāvī, supine nūtātum)
Classical[ˈnuː.toː]Ecclesiastical[ˈnuː.to]
Meaning
- to nod (the head)
- to signal or gesture to give a command
- figurativelyto sway, stagger, totter
- figurativelyto waver, hesitate, doubt
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
quasi cāsūrus vacillōnūtō -āre — in Epistulae, ch. 16
caput dēmittō ut dormiēnsnūtō -āre — in Metamorphoses I, ch. 23
Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms
Labare · Titubare · Vacillare · Nutare
Labare (the ancient Gothic word, slipan, from λωφᾶν), denotes tottering, with reference to the whole body, which rests on no firm basis; titubare (from ταφεῖν, τυφλός), with reference to the feet, which refuse their service, and stagger; vacillare (ἧκα) with reference to the upper part of the body, which wants its upright, steady, secure position; lastly, nutare (from νεύειν) with reference to the head, which seems ready to fall off. The titubans threatens to sink to the ground; the vacillans, to fall over. Titubatio betrays bodily weakness; vacillatio, want of external dignity, and a steady carriage. (iii. 62.)
Conjugation conjugation 1
| form | present | imperfect | future | perfect | pluperfect | fut. perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | nūtō | nūtābam | nūtābō | nūtāvī | nūtāveram nūtāram | nūtāverō nūtārō |
| 2nd sg. | nūtās | nūtābās | nūtābis | nūtāvistī nūtāstī | nūtāverās nūtārās | nūtāveris nūtāris |
| 3rd sg. | nūtat | nūtābat | nūtābit | nūtāvit nūtāt | nūtāverat nūtārat | nūtāverit nūtārit |
| 1st pl. | nūtāmus | nūtābāmus | nūtābimus | nūtāvimus nūtāmus | nūtāverāmus nūtārāmus | nūtāverimus nūtārimus |
| 2nd pl. | nūtātis | nūtābātis | nūtābitis | nūtāvistis nūtāstis | nūtāverātis nūtārātis | nūtāveritis nūtāritis |
| 3rd pl. | nūtant | nūtābant | nūtābunt | nūtāvērunt nūtārunt, nūtāvēre | nūtāverant nūtārant | nūtāverint nūtārint |
active subjunctive
| form | present | imperfect | perfect | pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | nūtem | nūtārem | nūtāverim nūtārim | nūtāvissem nūtāssem |
| 2nd sg. | nūtēs | nūtārēs | nūtāverīs nūtārīs | nūtāvissēs nūtāssēs |
| 3rd sg. | nūtet | nūtāret | nūtāverit nūtārit | nūtāvisset nūtāsset |
| 1st pl. | nūtēmus | nūtārēmus | nūtāverīmus nūtārīmus | nūtāvissēmus nūtāssēmus |
| 2nd pl. | nūtētis | nūtārētis | nūtāverītis nūtārītis | nūtāvissētis nūtāssētis |
| 3rd pl. | nūtent | nūtārent | nūtāverint nūtārint | nūtāvissent nūtāssent |
passive indicative
| form | present | imperfect | future |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | nūtor | nūtābar | nūtābor |
| 2nd sg. | nūtāris nūtāre | nūtābāris nūtābāre | nūtāberis nūtābere |
| 3rd sg. | nūtātur | nūtābātur | nūtābitur |
| 1st pl. | nūtāmur | nūtābāmur | nūtābimur |
| 2nd pl. | nūtāminī | nūtābāminī | nūtābiminī |
| 3rd pl. | nūtantur | nūtābantur | nūtābuntur |
passive subjunctive
| form | present | imperfect |
|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | nūter | nūtārer |
| 2nd sg. | nūtēris nūtēre | nūtārēris nūtārēre |
| 3rd sg. | nūtētur | nūtārētur |
| 1st pl. | nūtēmur | nūtārēmur |
| 2nd pl. | nūtēminī | nūtārēminī |
| 3rd pl. | nūtentur | nūtārentur |
imperative
| form | active | passive |
|---|---|---|
| pres. 2nd sg. | nūtā | nūtāre |
| pres. 2nd pl. | nūtāte | nūtāminī |
| fut. 2nd sg. | nūtātō | nūtātor |
| fut. 3rd sg. | nūtātō | nūtātor |
| fut. 2nd pl. | nūtātōte | — |
| fut. 3rd pl. | nūtantō | nūtantor |
infinitives & participles
| form | active | passive |
|---|---|---|
| present infinitive | nūtāre | nūtārī |
| perfect infinitive | nūtāvisse nūtāsse | nūtātum esse |
| future infinitive | nūtātūrum esse | nūtātum īrī |
| present participle | nūtāns nūtante, nūtantem, nūtantēs, nūtantī, nūtantia, nūtantibus, nūtantis, nūtantīs, nūtantium | — |
| perfect participle | — | nūtātus nūtāta, nūtātā, nūtātae, nūtātam, nūtātārum, nūtātās, nūtātī, nūtātōrum, nūtātōs |
| future participle | nūtātūrus nūtātūra, nūtātūrā, nūtātūrae, nūtātūram, nūtātūrārum, nūtātūrās, nūtātūre, nūtātūrī, nūtātūrīs, nūtātūrō, nūtātūrōrum, nūtātūrōs, nūtātūrum | nūtandus nūtanda, nūtandā, nūtandae, nūtandam, nūtandārum, nūtandās, nūtande, nūtandīs, nūtandōrum, nūtandōs |
gerundnūtandī, nūtandō, nūtandumsupinenūtātum, nūtātū
nūto, āvi, ātum, 1,
I. v. freq. n. [nuo (of re-nuo, ab-nuo); Gr. νεύω; cf. numen, nutus], to nod with the head.
I. Lit.:
neque illa ulli homini nutet, nictet, annuat, Plaut. As. 4, 1, 39; id. Merc. 2, 3, 72: capite nutat, id. Mil. 2, 2, 52: crebro capitis motu nutans. Suet. Calig. 38: nutans. Distorquens oculos, Hor. S. 1, 9, 64.—B. Esp., to command by a nod or sign:
nutat ne loquar, Plaut. Men. 4, 2, 48.—II. In gen., to sway to and fro, to totter, shake, stagger.
A. Lit.:
nutant circumspectantibus galeae, et incerti trepidant, Liv. 4, 37: ornus, Verg. A. 2, 629; 9, 682: percutiens nutanti pectora mento, Ov. M. 11, 620: nutans machinamentum, Tac. H. 4, 30: nutantem vulnere civem, Juv. 15, 156: rami pondere, Ov. A. A. 2, 263: cristae, Sil. 1, 501: turres, Luc. 6, 136: plaustra, Juv. 3, 256.—B. Trop.
1. To waver in one's opinion or judgment; to doubt, hesitate:
etiam Democritus nutare videtur in naturā Deorum, Cic. N. D. 1, 43, 120: sic animus vario labefactus vulnere nutat, Ov. M. 10, 375; cf. Stat. Th. 8, 614; 4, 197.—2. To falter in one's fidelity, to be faithless:
ac primo Festūs nutabat, palam Vitellium, occultis nuntiis Vespasianum fovens, Tac. H. 2, 98; Suet. Caes. 4.— 3. To be ready to fall or give way; to totter, to waver, fail, be weak, falter:
fortuna nutabit, Liv. 21, 44: tanto discrimine urbs nutabat, ut, etc., Tac. H. 4, 52: nutantem aciem victor equitatus incursat, id. ib. 3, 18; 4, 49: rempublicam, Suet. Vesp. 8; cf.: moenia nutantia Romae, Sil. 10, 590: nutantem hostem praevenire, Tac. H. 3, 40; cf. Flor. 3, 10, 4: mundi nutante ruinā, Luc. 4, 493.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
nūtō āvī, ātus, āre, freq.
nuo, to nod : nutans, Distorquens oculos, H.: percutiens nutanti pectora mento, O.— To sway to and fro, totter, stagger : ornus nutat, V.: nutant circumspectantibus galeae, et incerti trepidant, L.: nutantem pondere mundum, V.: rami pondere, O.: plaustra, Iu.—Fig., to waver, falter, doubt, hesitate : in naturā deorum: animus nutat, O.
Origins
Proto-Indo-European *new-der. Proto-Italic *nowō Latin *nuō Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Italic *-tos Latin -tus Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin -tō Latin nūtō From *nuō + -tō.
Descendants
- Italiannutare
- Portuguesenutar