menare

From Latin mināre, collateral form of minārī.

• IPA^(key): /meˈna.re/
• Rhymes: -are
• Hyphenation: me‧nà‧re

menàre (first-person singular present méno, first-person singular past historic menài, past participle menàto, auxiliary avére) (transitive)

1. (slang) to hit, beat
2. (obsolete, literary) to take, lead (someone) (to a place)

   Synonyms: condurre, guidare, portare

   • 1321, Dante Alighieri, La divina commedia: Inferno [The Divine Comedy: Hell], 12th edition (paperback), Le Monnier, published 1994, Canto I, page 7, lines 16–18:

     guardai in alto e vidi le sue spalle ¶ vestite già de' raggi del pianeta ¶ che mena dritto altrui per ogne calle.

     Upward I looked, and I beheld its shoulders, ¶ vested already with that planet's rays ¶ which leadeth others right by every road.

   • 1374, Francesco Petrarca, “I' ho pregato Amor, e nel riprego [I have prayed to Love, and I pray again]”, in Il Canzoniere‎, Florence: Andrea Bettini, published 1858, page 48, lines 5–8:

     I' nol posso negar, donna, e nol nego, ¶ che la ragion, ch'ogni buon alma affrena, ¶ non sia dal voler vinta; ond'ei mi mena ¶ talor in parte ov'io per forza il sego.

     I cannot deny, lady, and don’t deny ¶ that reason, that restrains all good souls, ¶ is overcome by passion: so he leads me ¶ at times to places where I unwillingly follow.

   • 1827, Giacomo Leopardi, “Dialogo della Natura e di un'anima [Dialogue between Nature and a Soul]”, in Operette morali [Small Moral Works]‎, Florence: Guglielmo Piatti, published 1834, page 65:

     l'eccellenza della quale tu m'hai dotata […] non però mena alla beatitudine, anzi tira violentemente alla infelicità.

     The excellence you endowed me with does not lead to bliss, but rather violently pulls towards unhappiness.

   • 1840, Alessandro Manzoni, I promessi sposi‎, Tip. Guglielmini e Redaelli, Capitolo XXXII, page 607:

     gl’infelici eran tempestati di pietre, o, presi, venivan menati, a furia di popolo, in prigione.

     the unfortunates were bombarded with stones, or – when caught – dragged to prison by the mob.

3. (archaic) to drive (a vehicle)

   Synonym: guidare

   L'uomo menava il carro ― The man was driving the chariot

4. (literary) to move forcibly; to drag, hurtle

   Synonym: trascinare

   • 1321, Dante Alighieri, La divina commedia: Inferno [The Divine Comedy: Hell], 12th edition (paperback), Le Monnier, published 1994, Canto V, page 73, lines 31–33:

     La bufera infernal, che mai non resta, ¶ mena gli spirti con la sua rapina; ¶ voltando e percotendo li molesta.

     The infernal hurricane that never rests ¶ hurtles the spirits onward in its rapine; ¶ whirling them round, and smiting, it molests them.

5. to bring

   Synonyms: portare, recare

   • 1803, Ugo Foscolo, “Alla sera [In the Evening]”, in Sonetti [Sonnets]‎, collected in Opere scelte di Ugo Foscolo, vol. 2, Florence, published 1835, page 116:

     E quando dal nevoso aere inquiete ¶ tenebre, e lunghe, all’universo meni, ¶ sempre scendi invocata, e le secrete ¶ vie del mio cor soavemente tieni.

     And when, from the snowy air, you bring long, restless darkness to the universe, you always come down when summoned, and gently hold the secret ways of my heart.

   • 1827, Giacomo Leopardi, “Dialogo di Torquato Tasso e del suo genio familiare”, in Operette morali [Small Moral Works]‎, Florence: Guglielmo Piatti, published 1834, page 106:

     solevano orare e far orazioni a Mercurio conduttore dei sogni, acciò ne menasse loro di quei lieti

     they used to pray and give praise to Mercury, conductor of dreams, so that he'd bring them happy ones

6. (obsolete) to produce, beget

   Synonyms: generare, produrre

   • 13^th century, Guido Cavalcanti, “Se non ti caggia la tua santalena”, in Rime‎, Nicola Zanichelli, published 1902, lines 5–6:

     dimmi se ’l frutto che la terra mena ¶ nasce di secco, di caldo o di molle;

     tell me whether the fruit that the earth begets ¶ is born from dryness, warmth, or dampness

7. to pass, spend (time)

   Synonyms: passare, trascorrere

   • 1803, Ugo Foscolo, “Meritamente [Deservedly]”, in Sonetti [Sonnets]‎, collected in Opere scelte di Ugo Foscolo, vol. 2, Florence, published 1835, page 118:

     In lungo esilio fra spergiure genti ¶ dal bel paese ove or meni sì rei, ¶ me sospirando, i tuoi giorni fiorenti

     In a long exile, among faithless peoples, from the fair country where – sighing for me – you spend your thriving days, so guilty

   • 1835, Giacomo Leopardi with Alessandro Donati, “A Silvia [To Silvia]”, in Canti‎, Bari: Einaudi, published 1917, page 79, lines 13–14:

     Era il maggio odoroso: e tu solevi ¶ cosí menare il giorno

     It was the odorous May, and that was how you spent the day.

8. to move rapidly, shake, agitate
   • 1516, Ludovico Ariosto, Orlando Furioso [Raging Roland]‎, Venice: Printed by Gabriel Giolito, published 1551, Canto XVI, page 66:

     Corre il fiero, e terribil Rodomonte, ¶ e la ſanguigna ſpada a cerco mena.

     The proud and fearful Rodomont speeds, whirling his bloody brand.

9. (vulgar, slang) masturbate

   Synonyms: spugnettare, spipettare, smanettare

10. (by extension, rare) to use (of a tool)

    Synonyms: adoperare, usare

    • a. 1846, Giuseppe Giusti, “Lo stivale [The Boot]”, in Poesie Italiane‎, 3rd edition, published 1846, page 84:

      Da quel momento ognuno in santa pace ¶ la lesina menando e la tanaglia, ¶ cascai dalla padella nella brace

      Thenceforth, with everyone at peace, ¶ while using the bradawl and the pincers, ¶ I got out of the frying pan, into the fire

11. to (forcefully) deal (of blows)

• rimenare

• menata

• armene, marene, menerà

menare

1. first/third-person singular future subjunctive of menar