Gram. Also 6 supyne, -in. [ad. L. supīnum, neut. sing. (sc. verbum word) of supīnus (see next): cf. F. supin. The word was applied by Roman grammarians to the gerund as well as the supine.] In Latin grammar, applied to forms of a verbal noun, the one an accusative singular ending in -tum or -sum, used with verbs of motion and called the first or † former supine, the other a locative singular ending in -tū or -sū (varying in early times with a dative singular in -tuī, -suī), used with adjectives and called the second or † latter supine.
The term is applied by some grammarians to the English infinitive with to (OE. tó scéawienne, mod. Eng. to show).
a. 1522. Lily, Gram. Rudim., in Colet’s Æditio (1537), D iv. Ther cometh of a verbe deryuied a parte called a supine lyke the participle of the pretertens. These are .ii. The first endeth in um,… and his significacion is actiue…. The seconde supine endeth in u … & his significacion is passiue [Introd. Gram. (1549), B iij. Called the fyrste supyne … called the later Supyne].
1530. Palsgr., Introd., p. xxxvii. I set out all his rotes and tenses … as the latin grammariens have done the preterites and supines of suche verbes as … be of any diffycultye.
1665. R. Johnson, Scholars Guide, 1. Observe the Radix of words, and the Supines of Verbs, and they will direct to write right.
a. 1721. Prior, Dial. Dead, Chas. & Cl. (1907), 216. Grammarians,… meer Traders in Gerunds and Retailers of Supines.
1831. Syd. Smith, Wks. (1859), II. 220/1. Schoolboys believe that Gerunds and Supines will be abolished, and that Currant Tarts must ultimately come down in price.
1854. Andrews & Stoddard, Lat. Gram., 77. The supine in um is called the former supine; that in u, the latter.
1894. W. M. Lindsay, Latin Lang., § 88. The 1st Supine is also found in Umbrian, e. g. aseriato etu ‘observatum ito.’ In the Romance languages the Supines have been lost.
1898. Sweet, New Engl. Gram., § 2314. Of the large number of verbs which take the infinitive in Old-English the greater number are now followed by the supine.
