‹ Back to the text

yamāmase

yamati

reflx imp 1st pl of yamati (verb)

1. dies
2. restrains; controls

Built from

• yam — root · holds, restrains, stops
  The root's primary image is checking or controlling motion, whether physical restraint or the ultimate restraint of dying (coming to a stop).
• ā — prefix · toward, until
  Reverses or completes the action; here it signals the reflexive turn or completeness of the act.
• ma — ending · 1st person plural
  Marks the reflexive imperative: 'let us restrain ourselves' or 'we shall die' — a hortative sense.
• se — ending · reflexive marker
  Signals that the action is directed back upon the subject (ourselves).

Etymology. √yam, 'to hold, restrain, check'; cognate with Latin iambus (metrical foot of controlled, alternating beats), and distantly with English yammer (to complain repetitively, as if held back). The root sense is 'to govern motion' — holding something in place or bringing it to a stop.

Meanings from the Digital Pāḷi Dictionary; morphology and etymology by Claude.

Lite mode — plain HTML for e-readers and old browsers. Full version