verbfirst conjugation
versō
versō (present infinitive versāre, perfect active versāvī, supine versātum)
Classical[ˈwɛr.soː]Ecclesiastical[ˈvɛr.so]
Meaning
- to turn often, keep turning, handle, whirl about, turn over
- to treat, manage
- to pervert, alter, change
- to discompose, disturb, vex, agitate
- to overthrow, ruin, subvert
- figurativelyto think over or through, meditate, reflect upon, revolve or turn over in one’s mind, consider, ponder
Atque animum nunc hūc celerem nunc dīvidit illūc,
And his swift mind parses now this [idea], now that [one], picks among varied options, and thinks through them all. (Aeneas considers how to end his relationship with Dido and leave Carthage.)29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 4.285–286
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
Conjugation conjugation 1
| form | present | imperfect | future | perfect | pluperfect | fut. perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | versō | versābam | versābō | versāvī | versāveram versāram | versāverō versārō |
| 2nd sg. | versās | versābās | versābis | versāvistī versāstī | versāverās versārās | versāveris versāris |
| 3rd sg. | versat | versābat | versābit | versāvit versāt | versāverat versārat | versāverit versārit |
| 1st pl. | versāmus | versābāmus | versābimus | versāvimus versāmus | versāverāmus versārāmus | versāverimus versārimus |
| 2nd pl. | versātis | versābātis | versābitis | versāvistis versāstis | versāverātis versārātis | versāveritis versāritis |
| 3rd pl. | versant | versābant | versābunt | versāvērunt versārunt, versāvēre | versāverant versārant | versāverint versārint |
active subjunctive
| form | present | imperfect | perfect | pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | versem | versārem | versāverim versārim | versāvissem versāssem |
| 2nd sg. | versēs | versārēs | versāverīs versārīs | versāvissēs versāssēs |
| 3rd sg. | verset | versāret | versāverit versārit | versāvisset versāsset |
| 1st pl. | versēmus | versārēmus | versāverīmus versārīmus | versāvissēmus versāssēmus |
| 2nd pl. | versētis | versārētis | versāverītis versārītis | versāvissētis versāssētis |
| 3rd pl. | versent | versārent | versāverint versārint | versāvissent versāssent |
passive indicative
| form | present | imperfect | future |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | versor | versābar | versābor |
| 2nd sg. | versāris versāre | versābāris versābāre | versāberis versābere |
| 3rd sg. | versātur | versābātur | versābitur |
| 1st pl. | versāmur | versābāmur | versābimur |
| 2nd pl. | versāminī | versābāminī | versābiminī |
| 3rd pl. | versantur | versābantur | versābuntur |
passive subjunctive
| form | present | imperfect |
|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | verser | versārer |
| 2nd sg. | versēris versēre | versārēris versārēre |
| 3rd sg. | versētur | versārētur |
| 1st pl. | versēmur | versārēmur |
| 2nd pl. | versēminī | versārēminī |
| 3rd pl. | versentur | versārentur |
imperative
| form | active | passive |
|---|---|---|
| pres. 2nd sg. | versā | versāre |
| pres. 2nd pl. | versāte | versāminī |
| fut. 2nd sg. | versātō | versātor |
| fut. 3rd sg. | versātō | versātor |
| fut. 2nd pl. | versātōte | — |
| fut. 3rd pl. | versantō | versantor |
infinitives & participles
| form | active | passive |
|---|---|---|
| present infinitive | versāre | versārī versārier |
| perfect infinitive | versāvisse versāsse | versātum esse |
| future infinitive | versātūrum esse | versātum īrī |
| present participle | versāns | — |
| perfect participle | — | versātus versāta, versātā, versātae, versātam, versātārum, versātās, versātī, versātōrum, versātōs |
| future participle | versātūrus versātūra, versātūrā, versātūrae, versātūram, versātūrārum, versātūrās, versātūre, versātūrī, versātūrīs, versātūrō, versātūrōrum, versātūrōs, versātūrum | versandus versanda, versandā, versandae, versandam, versandārum, versandās, versande, versandīs, versandōrum, versandōs |
gerundversandī, versandō, versandumsupineversātum, versātū
Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book
- in errore versari
- to be mistaken.
- in timore esse, versari
- to be in fear.
- in magno errore versari
- to be in gross error, seriously misled.
- ut in eodem simili verser
- to use the same simile, illustration.
- in egestate esse, versari
- to live in poverty, destitution.
- in periculo esse or versari
- to be in danger.
- in vitae discrimine versari
- to be in peril of one's life.
- ante oculos aliquid versatur
- something presents itself to my vision.
15 more phrases
- in studio litterarum versari
- to be engaged in literary pursuits.
- summo studio in litteris versari
- to be an ardent student of...
- res in summo discrimine versatur
- the position is very critical.
- in aliquo litterarum genere versari
- to be engaged in any branch of study.
- in rebus atque in usu versatum esse
- to have had practical experience.
- philosophia, quae in actione versatur
- practical philosophy.
- in suis nummis versari (Verr. 4. 6. 11)
- to have no debts.
- in re publica or in rebus publicis versari
- to take part in politics.
- in controversia (contentione) esse, versari
- to be at variance with.
- in angustiis, difficultatibus, esse or versari
- to be in a dilemma; in difficulties.
- multum (mediocriter) in graecis litteris versari
- to be well (slightly) acquainted with Greek literature.
- in summa difficultate nummaria versari (Verr. 2. 28. 69)
- to be in severe pecuniary straits.
- studia, quae in reconditis artibus versantur (De Or. 1. 2. 8)
- abstruse studies.
- salus, caput, vita alicuius agitur, periclitatur, in discrimine est or versatur
- a man's life is at stake, is in very great danger.
- philosophia, quae in rerum contemplatione versatur, or quae artis praeceptis continetur
- theoretical, speculative philosophy.
verso (vorso), āvi, ātum, 1 (
I. inf. vorsarier, Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 53), v. freq. a. verto, to turn, wind, twist, or whirl about often or violently (freq. and class.; syn.: verto, contorqueo).
I. Lit.: qui caelum versat stellis fulgentibus aptum, Enn. ap. Macr. 6, 1 (Ann. v. 30 Vahl.): Sisyphus versat Saxum, Poët. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 5, 10:
turbinem puer, Tib. 1, 5, 4: turdos in igni, Hor. S. 1, 5, 72: ova non acri favillā, Ov. M. 8, 667: cum versati appositi essent pisces, Quint. 6, 3, 90: vinclorum inmensa volumina, Verg. A. 5, 408: manum, Ov. M. 12, 493: lumina, id. ib. 5, 134; 6, 247; 7, 579: cardinem, id. ib. 4, 93: fusum, id. ib. 4, 221; 6, 22: corpus, id. Am. 1, 2, 4: sortem urnā, to shake, Hor. C. 2, 3, 26: ligonibus glaebas, to turn up, hoe, id. ib. 3, 6, 39; so, rura (juvenci), Prop. 4 (5), 1, 129. terram, Ov. R. Am. 173: desectum gramen, hay, id. M. 14, 646: currum in gramine, i. e. to wheel about, Verg. A. 12, 664: oves, to drive about, pasture, id. E. 10, 68: pulsat versatque Dareta, id. A. 5, 460: me versant in litore venti, id. ib. 6, 362: vos exemplaria Graeca Nocturnā versate manu, versate diurnā, turn them over, i. e. read, study them, Hor. A. P. 269: et nummulario non ex fide versanti pecunias manus amputavit, handling, accounting for, Suet. Galb. 9.—With se, or mid., to turn one's self often, to turn, revolve, etc.: versabat se in utramque partem, non solum mente, verum etiam corpore, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 30, § 74.—Prov.: satis diu jam hoc saxum vorso, I have wasted time enough with this man, Ter. Eun. 5, 8, 55.—Mid.: mundum versari circum axem caeli, Cic. N. D. 1, 20, 52: qui (orbes) versantur retro, id. Rep. 6, 17, 17: pars superior mundi non versatur in turbinem, Sen. Ira, 3, 6, 1: suāpte naturā et cylindrum volvi et versari turbinem putat, Cic. Fat. 18, 42: ne versari aves possent, Col. 8, 7, 1.—B. Trop.
1. In gen., to turn, twist, bend:
versare suam naturam et regere ad tempus atque huc et illuc torquere et flectere, Cic. Cael. 6, 13: ad omnem malitiam et fraudem versare mentem suam coepit, id. Clu. 26, 70: eadem multis modis, id. Or. 40, 137: causas, i. e. to treat, manage, id. ib. 9, 31; Quint. 10, 5, 9; cf. absol.: non mille figuris variet ac verset (orator)? id. 5, 14, 32: verba, to pervert, alter, Cic. Fin. 4, 20, 56: fors omnia versat, turns, changes, Verg. E. 9, 5; so mid.: versatur celeri Fors levis orbe rotae, Tib. 1, 5, 70: huc et illuc, Torquate, vos versetis licet, etc., Cic. Fin. 2, 31, 99: in quo, utrum respondebo, verses te huc atque illuc necesse est, id. ib. 5, 28, 86: versabat se ad omnis cogitationes, Curt. 6, 6, 27.—2. In partic. (rare in Cic.).
a. Qs. to turn upside down, i. e. to discompose, disturb, vex, agitate:
versabo ego illum hodie, si vivo, probe, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 5, 6; id. Pers. 5, 2, 17: haerere homo, versari, rubere, to be disturbed, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 76, § 187: si quid te adjuero curamve levasso Quae nunc te coquit et versat in pectore fixa, Enn. ap. Cic. Sen. 1, 1 (Ann. v. 340 Vahl.): miserum toto cubili, Prop. 1, 14, 21: illum toto versant suspiria lecto, id. 2, 22, 47 (3, 16, 5): odiis domos, to overthrow, ruin, subvert, Verg. A. 7, 336: ille placet, versatque domum, neque verbera sentit, i. e. disturbs without being punished, Ov. Am. 2, 2, 29: sic fortuna in contentione et certamine utrumque versavit, ut alter alteri inimicus auxilio salutique esset, alternated with, treated each in turn, Caes. B. G. 5, 44 fin.: pectora, id. ib. 2, 45: muliebrem animum in omnes partes, Liv. 1, 58, 3: patrum animos, id. 1, 17, 1: pectora (nunc indignatio nunc pudor), id. 2, 45, 5; cf.: spesque timorque animum versat utroque modo, Prop. 3, 17 (4, 16), 12.—b. To turn over a thing in the mind, to think over, meditate, or reflect upon, revolve, consider; to transact, carry on (cf.:
volvo, agito): multas res simitu in meo corde vorso, Plaut. Trin. 2, 1, 1: versarent in animis secum unamquamque rem, Liv. 3, 34, 4: illa dolos dirumque nefas in pectere versat, Certa mori, Verg. A. 4, 563; so, dolos, id. ib. 2, 62: versate diu, quid ferre recusent, Quid valeant umeri, Hor. A. P. 39: ubi maxima rerum momenta versantur, Quint. 8, 3, 13: versenturque omni modo numeri, examined, considered, id. 10, 3, 5; 10, 5, 9: somnia decies, to interpret, Prop. 2, 4, 16: multum igitur domi ante versandi sunt (testes), variis percontationibus, etc., examined, practised, Quint. 5, 7, 11.—II. Transf., in the mid. form, versor (vor-sor), ātus, 1, prop. to move about in a place, i. e. to dwell, live, remain, stay, abide, be in a place or among certain persons; constr. most freq. with in aliquā re; also with inter, intra, apud, and cum.
A. Lit.:
vorsari crebro hic cum viderent me domi, Plaut. Am. prol. 128: in medio pariete, id. Cas. 1, 52: non ad solarium, non in campo, non in conviviis versatus est, Cic. Quint. 18, 59: in fundo, id. Mil. 20, 53: in castris, Caes. B. G. 2, 24: inter aciem, id. ib. 1, 52; cf.: nec versari inter eos sine dedecore potero, Cic. Att. 10, 8, 3: intra vallum, Caes. B. C. 3, 96: alicui inter femina, Suet. Tib. 44: nobiscum versari jam diutius non potes, Cic. Cat. 1, 5, 10; apud praefectos regis, Nep. Con. 2, 4.—B. Trop.
1. In gen., to be; to be circumstanced or situated:
nescis, quantis in malis vorser miser, Ter. And. 4, 1, 25: certe ego te in medio versantem turbine leti Eripui, Cat. 64, 149: ergo illi nunc in pace versantur, Cic. Phil. 8, 2, 6: in clarissimā luce, id. Off. 2, 13, 44: Minturnenses aeternā in laude versantur, id. Planc. 10, 26: in simili culpā, Caes. B. C. 3, 110: mihi ante oculos dies noctesque versaris, Cic. Fam. 14, 2, 3: nec versantur omnino scripta eorum inter manus hominum, i. e. are read, Dig. 1, 2, 2.—Of abstract subjects: numquam tibi populi Romani dignitas, numquam species ipsa hujusmodi multitudinis in oculis animoque versata est? Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 55, § 144: mors, exsilium mihi ob oculos versabantur, id. Sest. 21, 47: haec omnia in eodem errore versantur, id. N. D. 3, 10, 25; id. Tusc. 1, 44, 107: aliquid in dubitatione versatur, id. Rep. 2, 15, 29: Mithridaticum bellum, in multā varietate versatum, waged with many vicissitudes, id. Arch. 9, 21.—2. In partic., to occupy or busy one's self with any action, to be engaged in any thing.
a. Of persons.
(a). With in and abl. (class.):
opifices omnes in sordidā arte versantur, Cic. Off. 1, 42, 150: in omnibus ingenuis artibus, id. Fam. 4, 3, 4: versabor in re difficili, id. Leg. 3, 15, 33: in re publicā atque in his vitae periculis laboribusque, id. Arch. 12, 30; ullā in cogitatione acrius ac diligentius versari, id. Rep. 1, 22, 35: si diutius in hoc genere verser, id. ib. 1, 46, 70: multum in imperiis, Nep. Milt. 8, 2.—(b). With circa and acc. (post-Aug.):
circa mensuras ac numeros non versabitur (orator)? Quint. 2, 21, 19.—(g). With inter:
inter arma ac studia versatus, Vell. 1, 13, 3.—b. Of abstract subjects.
(a). With in and abl. (class.):
haec omnia in eodem quo illa Zenonis errore versantur, depend on, Cic. N. D. 3, 10, 25: dicendi omnis ratio in hominum more et sermone versatur, is occupied with, concerns, Cic. de Or. 1, 3, 12: ejus omnis oratio versata est in eo, ut, etc., id. ib. 1, 57, 244; cf.: imitatio est posita fere in eludendo, sed versatur etiam in factis, Quint. 9, 2, 58: ipsae res in perfacili cognitione versantur Cic. Or. 35, 122; quae omnes artes in veri investigatione versantur, id. Off. 1, 6, 19: omnia quae in causā versarentur, Quint. 7, 1, 4: epilogi omnes in eādem fere materiā versari solent, id. 7, 4, 19; 2, 4, 1: praejudiciorum vis omnis tribus in generibus versatur, id. 5, 2, 1.—(b). With circa and acc. (post-Aug.):
haec pars (tragoedia) circa iram, odium, metum, miserationem fere tota versatur, Quint. 6, 2, 20: circa quae versari videatur omnis quaestio, id. 3, 6, 23: quidam circa res omnes, quidam circa civiles modo versari rhetoricen putaverunt, id. 2, 15, 15.—(g). With abl.:
itaque (finitio) pluribus legibus isdem quibus conjectura versatur, Quint. 7, 3, 1 (dub.; Halm, ex conj. in isdem).—c. Part. perf.:
homo in aliis causis exercitatus et in hac multum et saepe versatus, Cic. Quint. 1, 3: viri in rerum publicarum varietate versati, id. Rep. 3, 3, 4: semper inter arma ac studia versatus, Vell. 1, 13, 3.—Absol.: is missum ad dilectus agendos Agricolam integreque ac strenue versatum praeposuit, etc., Tac. Agr. 7.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
versō or vorsō āvī, ātus, āre, freq.
verto, to turn often, keep turning, handle, whirl about, turn over: Sisyphus versat Saxum, C. poët.: turdos in igni, H.: Ova non acrifavillā, O.: vinclorum volumina, V.: pollice fusum, O.: sortem urnā, shake, H.: ligonibus glaebas, break up, H.: desectum gramen, i. e. make hay, O.: currum in gramine, i. e. wheel about, V.: oves, pasture, V.: exemplaria Graeca, i. e. peruse, H.: versabat se in utramque partem, i. e. kept displaying hesitation: qui (orbes) versantur retro.—Prov.: satis diu iam hoc saxum vorso (alluding to Sisyphus), i. e. I have wasted time enough with this man, T.—In pass, to move about, dwell, live, remain, stay, abide, be: non ad solarium, non in campo versatus est: inter aciem, Cs.: intra vallum, Cs.: apud praefectos regis, N.—Fig., to turn, twist, bend, manage, direct: versare suam naturam et regere ad tempus: multis modis eadem: verba, i. e. to pervert: fors omnia versat, changes, V.: huc et illuc vos: se ad omnīs cogitationes, Cu.—To upturn, discompose, disturb, vex, agitate: haerere homo, versari, to be disturbed: odiis domos, subvert, V.: domum, O.: sic fortuna utrumque versavit, ut, etc., i. e. treated each in turn, Cs.: in omnes partes muliebrem animum, L.—To turn over, think over, reflect upon, revolve, consider, meditate: in animis secum unamquamque rem, L.: nefas in pectore, V.: versate diu, quid ferre recusent, Quid valeant umeri, H.—Pass, to be, be circumstanced, be situated: nescis, quantis in malis vorser miser, T.: ergo illi nunc in pace versantur: in simili culpā, Cs.: mihi ante oculos dies noctīsque versaris: Mithridaticum bellum, in multā varietate versatum, waged with many vicissitudes: partes, in quibus irae libidinesque versentur.—To occupy oneself, be engaged, be busied, be employed: homo saepe in Caede versatus: qui in re p. versamur: multum in imperiis, N.: is missum ad dilectūs agendos Agricolam integreque ac strenue versatum praeposuit, etc., i. e. having fulfilled his mission honorably, etc., Ta.—To be concerned, belong, depend, turn: haec omnia in eodem quo illa Zenonis errore versantur: dicendi omnis ratio in hominum more et sermone versatur.
Origins
- Proto-Indo-European*wert-
- Proto-Indo-European*wértetor
- Proto-Italic*wertō
- Latinversō
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 versō Frequentative verb of vertō.
Descendants
- Catalanvessar
- Frenchverser
- Italianversare
- Occitanversar
- Portugueseversar
- Portuguesevessar
- Romanianvărsa
- Romanianvărsare
- Sardinianbesciare
- Sardinianbessai