supine

English

Wikipedia

Etymology

From Middle English supin, from Latin supinum, supinus. Grammatical meaning is from the phrase supinum verbum.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈsjuːpaɪn/, /supiːn/

Adjective

supine (comparative more supine, superlative most supine)

1. Lying on its back, reclined
   • 2011 December 15, Felicity Cloake, “How to cook the perfect nut roast”, Guardian:

     Christmas queen Mary Berry's aubergine five-nut roast, from her Christmas Collection, is, as the name suggests, rather more focused on the nut side of things. Breadcrumbs play second fiddle to a medley of almonds, Brazils, chestnuts, pine nuts and pistachios which, although tangy with lemon juice and garlic, is outrageously dense. A single slice of this could leave you supine in front of the Queen's speech without even the wherewithal to reach for the remote control.

2. Sloping or inclined
3. Lethargic; blameworthy indifferent
   • 1788, Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist, published 1863, page 237:

     If the power of affording it be placed under the direction of the Union, there will be no danger of a supine and listless inattention to the dangers of a neighbor.

4. Passive
   • 1748, David Hume, Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral, London: Oxford University Press: 1973, page 34,

     Nothing, therefore, can be more contrary than such a philosophy to the supine indolence of the mind.

Synonyms

• (lying back): reclined
• (sloping): inclined, sloping
• (lethargic): lethargic, sleepy, tired
• (passive): passive, peaceful

Antonyms

• (lying face down): prone, prostrate

Derived terms

• supination

Translations

lying back

Finnish: selällään (fi) makaava (fi)

Greek: ύπτιος (el) (ýptios) Russian: лежащий на спине (ru)

inclined

Dutch: geneigd (nl) Finnish: kallellaan (fi)

Portuguese: inclinado (pt) m.

lethargic

Dutch: lethargisch (nl), onverschillig (nl) Finnish: saamaton (fi), veltto (fi)

Portuguese: letárgico (pt) m.

passive

Dutch: passief (nl) Finnish: passiivinen (fi), saamaton (fi), vetelä (fi)

Portuguese: passivo (pt) m.

Noun

supine (plural supines)

1. (grammar) A type of verbal noun.

Translations

verbal noun

Bulgarian: супин (bg) m. Czech: supinum (cs) n. Dutch: supinum (nl) m. Finnish: supiini (fi)

French: supin (fr) m. Latin: supinum (la) n. Slovak: supínum (sk) n.

See also

• gerund
• infinitive

Anagrams

• puisne

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Italian

Adjective

supine f.

1. feminine plural of supino

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Latin

Adjective

supine

1. vocative masculine singular of supinus