[Lexicog] embiggen

[John Roberts]

Sebastian,

My Chambers dictionary has the Latinate en- listed with three senses and 
then it indicates which sense applies in words prefixed with en-. I just 
give the em- examples below listed under the respective senses. It seems 
clear that for those under (c) the em- prefix adds little to the meaning of 
the verb. 'embolden' under (b) is the closest to 'embiggen'. According to 
Chambers there is an obsolete verb 'bolden'. This transitive verb would have 
been derived from the adjective 'bold' and 'em-' has been added which 
essentially does not add anything more to the meaning, except maybe to 
intensify the meaning. Thus my analysis of 'embiggen' is that 'big' plus 
'-en' forms a transitive verb from an adjective and 'em-' is added as an 
intensifier or to make it obvious it is a nonce word.

Notice too that 'em-' always forms a transitive verb. This also appears to 
be the case when it is 'en-'. Compare this with '-en' which can form both 
transitive and intransitive verbs.

(a) used to form verbs with the sense of "in, into, upon"
emball vt
embank vt
embar vt
embay vt
embed vt
embody vt
emboss vt
embound vt
embow vt
embowel vt
embrangle vt
emmew vt
empanel vt
empeople vt
emplane vt
emplume vt
empower vt

(b) used to form verbs with the sense "cause to be"
embase vt
embitter vt
embolden vt
embrave vt
embrittle vt
embrown vt
embusy vt
empurple vt

(c) used intensively or almost meaninglessly
embathe vt
embattle vt (to furnish with battlements)
embog vt
emborder vt
embraid vt
empacket vt
empatron vt
empierce vt

Regards,

John Roberts



 
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