obtinebat

Obtinebat is a Latin verb form. It is the imperfect active indicative, third-person singular, of the verb obtineo, obtinere, meaning to obtain, hold, possess, or gain. The form belongs to the second conjugation, with the imperfect tense expressing an ongoing or repeated action in the past.

In full, the verb’s imperfect forms (active) include obtinebam, obtinebas, obtinebat, obtinebamus, obtinebatis, obtinebant. The present tense forms are obtineo, obtines, obtineat, obtineamus, obtineatis, obtineant. The perfect tense is obtinuī, with related participles and derivatives such as obtentus and the supine obtentum, which appear in various constructions. The imperfect form obtinebat thus conveys meanings like “he was obtaining,” “she used to obtain,” or more generally “he was holding/possessing” in a past context.

Usage and nuance: obtineo can denote physically holding something, maintaining possession, or achieving a goal or status. The sense of obtaining a benefit, advantage, or title is common in historical and legal Latin, as well as prose describing pursuit, control, or acquisition. The form obtinebat specifically situates the action in the past, often in narrative summaries of events or descriptions of ongoing past states.

Etymology and cognates: the word derives from ob- (toward, against) plus teneo (to hold). This root underlies related terms in Latin and, through Romance languages, cognates dealing with holding or acquiring. In Latin texts, obtinebat appears alongside other descriptive imperfect forms to convey continuous or habitual past action.