attingere

Attingere is an Italian transitive verb whose core sense is to draw or take something from a source. The physical meaning is to draw water or other liquids from a source, as in acqua dal pozzo. In a broader, figurative sense, attingere means to derive, obtain, or extract information, inspiration, or resources from a source such as a document, study, or tradition. The verb is commonly used with da to indicate the source (attingere da una fonte, da un documento) or with direct objects (attingere acqua, attingere dati).

Etymology and meaning evolution: the term comes from Latin attingere, from ad tangere “to touch,” by extension “to reach” or “to touch upon.” Over time, it acquired the broader sense of drawing from a source, not only touching physically but also borrowing or drawing ideas or data.

Conjugation and usage notes: attingere follows the pattern of -ere verbs but features io attingo in the present tense, tu attingi, lui/lei attinge, noi attingiamo, voi attingete, loro attingono. The past participle is attinto, used with auxiliary avere (ho attinto, abbiamo attinto). It is common in formal and technical registers as well as in literary Italian to describe sourcing from materials or information.

Related expressions and distinctions: attingere is often preferred to describe deliberate drawing from a source (as opposed to semplicemente prendere o ricavare). In English, it is commonly rendered as “to draw from” or “to tap.” Examples illustrate both literal and figurative uses.