terrere

Terrere is a Latin verb meaning to frighten or terrify. It is transitive and belongs to the second conjugation, typically taking a direct object in the accusative. The standard dictionary form is terreo, terrere, terrui, territus. The four principal parts terreo, terrere, terrui, territus provide the basis for all forms, including the perfect passive participle territus.

Etymology and related terms: terrere shares its root with a family of Latin words denoting fear or fright, and it has yielded related English words such as terror, terrify, and terrible. The root is reflected in many Romance languages, often in terms for fear or frightening actions, though exact derivatives vary by language.

Conjugation and usage: As a regular second-conjugation verb, terrere forms its tenses on the terre- stem. Present indicative: terreo, terres, terret, terrēmus, terrētis, terrent. Imperfect: terrēbam, terrēbās, terrēbat, terrēbāmus, terrēbātis, terrēbant. Future: terrēbō, terrēbēs, terrēbit, terrēbimus, terrēbitis, terrēbunt. Perfect: terruī, terruistī, terruit, terruimus, terruistis, terruerunt. Pluperfect: terrueram, terruerās, terruerat, terruerāmus, terruerātis, terruerant. Future perfect: terruerō, terrueris, terruerit, terruerimus, terrueritis, terruerint. The verb follows the usual second-conjugation patterns for active forms; passive forms exist with the corresponding endings (e.g., terreor, terrēris, terrētur, terrēmur, terrēminī, terrentur).

Example usage: Canis puerum terret. (The dog frightens the boy.) Pater filium terruit. (The father frightened the son.) These illustrate terrere’s direct-object construction and its past and present usages.

See also: Latin verbs of fear and related derivatives in Latin syntax and etymology.