incoho (better than inchŏo, Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 95; cf. Corss. Ausspr. 1, 109; Cic. Rep. 1, 35 Mai.; 3, 2; Front. p. 154 Rom.; Marin. Fratr. Arv. p. 363; Bramb. p. 291 sq.), āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. and n. [for in-coco; from in and Sanscr. root kuk-, to take, grasp].
I Act. , to lay the foundation of a thing, to begin , commence (syn. incipere; opp. absolvere, perficere; class.).
A In gen.
α With acc.: ut Phidias potest a primo instituere signum idque perficere, potest ab alio incohatum accipere et absolvere, Cic. Fin. 4, 13, 34; cf.: ut nemo pictor esset inventus, qui Coae Veneris eam partem, quam Apelles incohatam reliquisset, absolveret, id. Off. 3, 2, 9; 3, 7, 33: statuam, Quint. 2, 1, 12: res in animis nostris, Cic. Leg. 1, 16, 44: quas res nos in consulatu nostro gessimus, attigit hic versibus atque incohavit, id. Arch. 11, 28: philosophiam multis locis incohasti, id. Ac. 1, 3, 9: quod mihi nuper in Tusculano incohasti de oratoribus, id. Brut. 5, 20: quod hic liber incohat, Quint. 3, 1, 2: hanc materiam, id. 4 praef. § 5: abrupto, quem incohaverat, sermone, id. 4, 3, 13: esse videatur octonarium incohat, id. 9, 4, 73: referamus nos igitur ad eum, quem volumus incohandum et eloquentia informandum, Cic. Or. 9, 33: Favonius ver incohans, Plin. 16, 25, 39, § 94: incohandae vindemiae dies, id. 11, 14, 14, § 35: pulcherrimum facinus, Curt. 6, 7: tum Stygio regi nocturnas incohat aras, i. e. begins to sacrifice , Verg. A. 6, 252: reges plures incohantur, ne desint, are chosen , Plin. 11, 16, 16, § 51.—
β With inf.: quam si mens fieri proponit et incohat ipsa, Lucr. 3, 183; Luc. 10, 174; Pall. Dec. 2.—
B In partic., pregn. in the part. perf. : incŏhātus , a, um, only begun (opp. to finished, completed), unfinished , incomplete , imperfect (mostly Ciceron.): ne hanc incohatam transigam comoediam, Plaut. Am. 3, 1, 8: qui exaedificaret suam incohatam ignaviam, id. Trin. 1, 2, 95: quae adulescentulis nobis ex commentariolis nostris incohata ac rudia exciderunt, Cic. de Or. 1, 2, 5: cognitio manca atque incohata, id. Off. 1, 43, 153: incohatum quiddam et confusum, id. Rep. 3, 2: rem tam praeclaram incohatam relinquere, id. N. D. 1, 20, 56; cf. id. Rep. 1, 35: perfecta anteponuntur incohatis, id. Top. 18, 69; cf.: hoc incohati cujusdam officii est, non perfecti, id. Fin. 4, 6, 15.—
II Neutr. , to begin , commence , take a beginning.
A In gen. (post-class.): moris est, ut munus hujusmodi a proficiscentibus incohat, Symm. Ep. 7, 75: incohante mense, Pall. Febr. 25, 20 and 33.— *
B In partic., like infit, to begin to speak : post longa silentia rursus Incohat Ismene, Stat. Th. 8, 623. — Hence, incōhātē , adv., incipiently , incompletely , Aug. Gen. ad Lit. 6, 11.