utor

See also: uto̧r and útor

Latin

Alternative forms

• ūtō

Etymology

From Proto-Italic *oitōr (with ūsus for *issus after ūtor), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *h₃eyt- (“to take along, fetch”). Compare the future tense οἴσω (oísō) of Ancient Greek φέρω (phérō, “carry”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈuː.tɔr]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈuː.t̪or]

Verb

ūtor (present infinitive ūtī, perfect active ūsus sum); third conjugation, deponent

1. to use, make use of, employ

   Synonyms: sūmō, adhibeō, occupō, ūsūrpō

   • late 1st c. BC, Livy, Ab Urbe Condita 22.51 (reportedly said by Hasdrubal, Hannibal's brother, when Hannibal failed to invade Rome after his victory at Cannae)

     Vincere scīs, Hannibal, victōriā ūtī nescīs.

     You know how to obtain victory, Hannibal, but you do not know how to use it.

   • 29 BCE – 19 BCE, Virgil, Aeneid 1.64:

     Ad quem tum Iūnō supplex hīs vōcibus ūsa est:

     To this one then Juno, suppliant, used these words:
     (Note the correlation of the indicative perfect tense verb “usa est” with the ablative plural “his vocibus”: Juno used, or that is to say, spoke “with these words”.)

2. to enjoy, take advantage of

   Synonyms: vēscor, adhibeō, sūmō, assūmō, ūsūrpō

3. to experience, undergo, encounter

   Synonym: experior

4. to wear, consume

   Synonyms: conterō, terō, dēterō, atterō, tenuō, abūtor, exhauriō, ēnecō, adedō, peragō, accīdō, effundō

Usage notes

1. The verb ūtor and others like it, fruor, fungor, potior, vescor, and their compounds, regularly govern the ablative case

   Mīles gladiō ūtitur.

   The soldier uses a sword.

   Quō expedītiōre rē frūmentāriā ūterētur

   in order that he might make use of the looser supplies of provisions (Caesar, de Bello Gallico, VII, 11)

2. Later regularized as ūsō

Conjugation

   Conjugation of ūtor (third conjugation, deponent)

indicative		singular						plural
		first		second		third		first		second		third
active	present	ūtor		ūteris, ūtere		ūtitur		ūtimur		ūtiminī		ūtuntur
	imperfect	ūtēbar		ūtēbāris, ūtēbāre		ūtēbātur		ūtēbāmur		ūtēbāminī		ūtēbantur
	future	ūtar		ūtēris, ūtēre		ūtētur		ūtēmur		ūtēminī		ūtentur
	perfect	ūsus + present active indicative of sum
	pluperfect	ūsus + imperfect active indicative of sum
	future perfect	ūsus + future active indicative of sum
subjunctive		singular						plural
		first		second		third		first		second		third
active	present	ūtar		ūtāris, ūtāre		ūtātur		ūtāmur		ūtāminī		ūtantur
	imperfect	ūterer		ūterēris, ūterēre		ūterētur		ūterēmur		ūterēminī		ūterentur
	perfect	ūsus + present active subjunctive of sum
	pluperfect	ūsus + imperfect active subjunctive of sum
imperative		singular						plural
		first		second		third		first		second		third
active	present	—		ūtere		—		—		ūtiminī		—
	future	—		ūtitor		ūtitor		—		—		ūtuntor
non-finite forms		infinitive						participle
		active			passive			active			passive
present		ūtī			—			ūtēns			—
future		ūsūrum esse			—			ūsūrus			ūtendus, ūtundus
perfect		ūsum esse			—			ūsus			—
future perfect		ūsum fore			—			—			—
perfect potential		ūsūrum fuisse			—			—			—
verbal nouns		gerund								supine
		genitive		dative		accusative		ablative		accusative		ablative
		ūtendī		ūtendō		ūtendum		ūtendō		ūsum		ūsū

Derived terms

• abūtor
• deūtor
• ūsitor
• ūsō
• ūsōr
• ūsūra
• ūsus
• ūtēnsilis
• ūtibilis
• ūtilis

References

• “utor”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “utor”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “utor”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894), Latin Phrase-Book‎, London: Macmillan and Co.
  • (a state) has its own laws, is autonomous: suis legibus utitur (B. G. 1. 45. 3)
    
  • to use Cicero's expression; to say with Cicero (not ut cum Cicerone loquar): ut Ciceronis verbis utar
    
  • to use the mildest expression: ut levissime dicam (opp. ut gravissimo verbo utar)
    
  • to use this example: ut hoc utar or afferam
    
  • (ambiguous) to have favourable, contrary, winds: ventis secundis, adversis uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to enjoy good health: bona (firma, prospera) valetudine esse or uti (vid. sect. VI. 8., note uti...)
    
  • (ambiguous) to be ill, weakly: infirma, aegra valetudine esse or uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to excuse oneself on the score of health: valetudinis excusatione uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to find one's circumstances altered for the better (the worse): meliore (deteriore) condicione esse, uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to make use of, avail oneself of an opportunity: occasione uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to be fortunate, lucky: fortuna secunda uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to be favoured by Fortune; to bask in Fortune's smiles: fortunae favore or prospero flatu fortunae uti (vid. sect. VI. 8., note uti...)
    
  • (ambiguous) to experience the vicissitudes of fortune; to have a chequered career: varia fortuna uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to solace oneself with the thought..: hoc solacio frui, uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to be friendly with any one: uti aliquo amico
    
  • (ambiguous) to be on very intimate terms with..: uti aliquo familiariter
    
  • (ambiguous) to act in accordance with one's convictions: suo iudicio uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to adopt half-measures: mediocribus consiliis uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to go one's own way, proceed independently: suo consilio uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to receive instruction from some one: disciplina alicuius uti, magistro aliquo uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to quote an example: exemplo uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to have as authority for a thing: auctore aliquo uti ad aliquid
    
  • (ambiguous) to make a joke: ioco uti (Off. 1. 29. 103)
    
  • (ambiguous) to make witty remarks: facetiis uti, facetum esse
    
  • (ambiguous) to employ carefully chosen expressions: lectissimis verbis uti (De Or. 3. 37)
    
  • (ambiguous) to employ a comparison, simile: simili uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to possess presence of mind: praesenti animo uti (vid. sect. VI. 8, note uti...)
    
  • (ambiguous) to behave with cruelty: crudelitate uti (vid. sect. VI. 8, note uti...)
    
  • (ambiguous) to use threats: minis uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to be endowed with reason: ratione praeditum esse, uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to behave with moderation: temperantia uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to have no principles: omnia temere agere, nullo iudicio uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to enjoy a person's hospitality: hospitio alicuius uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to be on intimate terms with some one: uti aliquo (familiariter)
    
  • (ambiguous) to be on intimate terms with some one: alicuius familiaritate uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to grant a people its independence: populum liberum esse, libertate uti, sui iuris esse pati
    
  • (ambiguous) to use some one's evidence: aliquo teste uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to use javelins at a distance, swords at close quarters: eminus hastis, comminus gladiis uti
    
  • (ambiguous) to fight successfully: proeliis secundis uti
    
• Sihler, Andrew L. (1995), New Comparative Grammar of Greek and Latin, Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN

Slovene

Alternative forms

• (dialectal) otor, votor

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *ǫtorъ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /utɔ́r/

Noun

utȍr m inan

1. cut

Further reading

• “utor”, in Slovarji Inštituta za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU (in Slovene), 2014–2025