uopo

• huopo (obsolete)
• uo' (apocopic)

From Latin opus, cognate with Old Spanish uebos, Romanian op.

• IPA^(key): /ˈwɔ.po/
• Rhymes: -ɔpo
• Hyphenation: uò‧po

uopo m (plural (literary, very rare) uopi)

1. (archaic or literary, rare) need

   Synonyms: bisogno, necessità

   • early 14^th century, Dante, “Canto XVII”, in Purgatorio, lines 58–60:

     Sì fa con noi, come l’uom si fa sego;
     ché quale aspetta prego e l’uopo vede,
     malignamente già si mette al nego.

     He acts towards us as a man acts towards himself, for he who awaits for a request and sees the need is already malignantly preparing for refusal.

   • 1763, Giuseppe Parini, “Il mattino [Morning]”, in Opere dell'abate Giuseppe Parini - Volume primo [Works of abbot Giuseppe Parini - Volume one]‎, Venice: Giacomo Storti, published 1803, page 58:

     […] esso a mill'uopi
     Opportuno si vanta […]

     It is said it is suitable for a thousand needs

   • 1782, Vittorio Alfieri, “Atto quinto, Scena V”, in Saul, collected in Tragedie di Vittorio Alfieri - Volume secondo, Florence, published 1833, page 53:

     Eccoti solo, o re; non un ti resta
     Dei tanti amici, o servi tuoi. – Sei paga,
     D'inesorabil Dio terribil ira? –
     Ma, tu mi resti, o brando: all'ultim'uopo,
     Fido ministro, or vieni. […]

     Here you stand alone, o king; not one is left to you of your many friends, or servants. Are you satisfied, o terrible wrath of an inexorable God? But you are left to me, o sword: in the last need, faithful servant, now come.

• uopo in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana