[*] 251.
Adjectives expressing the action of the verb as a
quality or
tendency are formed
from real or apparent verb-stems with the suffixes—
-āx, -idus, -ulus, -vus (-uus, -īvus,
-tīvus)
-āx denotes a
faulty or
aggressive
tendency;
-tīvus is oftener
passive.
|
pūgn-āx,
pugnacious;
|
pūgnāre,
to fight.
|
|
aud-āx,
bold;
|
audēre, to
dare.
|
|
cup-idus, eager;
|
cupere, to
desire.
|
|
bib-ulus,
thirsty (as dry earth etc.); |
bibere, to
drink.
|
|
proter-vus,
violent, wanton;
|
prōterere, to
trample.
|
|
noc-uus (
noc-īvus
), hurtful,
injurious;
|
nocēre, to do
harm.
|
|
recid-īvus,
restored;
|
recidere, to fall
back.
|
|
cap-tīvus,
captive; M., a prisoner of
war;
|
capere, to take.
|
[*] Note.--Of these,
-āx is a reduction of
-ācus (stem-vowel
ā- + -cus), become independent and used with
verb-stems. Similar forms in -ĕx, -ōx, -īx, and -ūx are found or employed in derivatives:
as,
imbrex
, M., a rain-tile (from
imber
); senex,
old (from
seni-s
); ferōx,
fierce (from
ferus
); atrōx,
savage (from āter, black);
celōx, F., a yacht
(cf.
cellō
); fēlīx, happy,
originally fertile (cf. fēlō,
suck);
fīdūcia
, F., confidence (as from
†
fīdūx
); cf. also
victrīx
(from
victor
). So mandūcus,
chewing (from
mandō
).
-idus is no doubt denominative, as in
herbidus,
grassy
(from
herba,
herb);
tumidus,
swollen
(cf.
tumu-lus,
hill;
tumul-tus,
uproar);
callidus,
tough,
cunning (cf.
callum,
tough flesh);
mūcidus,
slimy (cf.
mūcus,
slime);
tābidus,
wasting (cf.
tābēs,
wasting
disease). But later it was used to form adjectives directly
from verb-stems.
-ulus is the same suffix as in
diminutives, but attached to verb-stems. Cf.
aemulus,
rivalling (cf.
imitor and
imāgō);
sēdulus,
sitting by,
attentive (cf.
domi-seda,
homestaying, and
sēdō,
set,
settle, hence
calm);
pendulus,
hanging
(cf.
pondō
,
ablative,
in weight;
perpendiculum,
a plummet;
appendix,
an addition);
strāgulus,
covering (cf.
strāgēs
);
legulus,
a
picker (cf.
sacri-legus,
a picker up of things sacred).
-vus seems originally primary (cf.
§ 234. 2.8), but
-īvus and
-tīvus have become secondary and are used
with nouns: as,
aestīvus,
of summer (from
aestus,
heat);
tempestīvus,
timely (from
tempus
); cf.
domes-ticus (from
domus
).
