écouler

Forms

écouler^[1] Old French escoler, later escouler.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from French é- + couler, the prefix marking movement from inside to outside.^[2][4][3][5] couler is from Latin cōlō (“to filter”), from cōlum (“strainer”).^[6]

The FEW lists it under both the simple Latin verb and Vulgar Latin *excōlō,^[7][8] and Wiktionary also allows that Vulgar Latin verb as its source, comparing Italian scolare, Portuguese escoar and Spanish escolar.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found about 1160 in the Roman d'Eneas, as the reflexive soi escoler “to slip away”.^[2][4] About 1245 it is used of blood flowing,^[2] and in the early 14th century of water.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The reflexive s'écouler took the lasting sense “to flow out”, of a liquid, and by metaphor of a crowd (1557) and later of goods.^[9][2] In the 16th century it was applied to time passing away (La Noue).^[2][10][5] A sense “to flow until exhausted” (1550) has given way to the reflexive.^[9] Calvin wrote of a body that s'escoule par faute de manger, wastes away for lack of food.^[5]

The transitive verb was used in the classical period for spending time,^[3] and in the 19th century it took the commercial sense “to sell off goods” (1810 for the reflexive; 1829 for the transitive), now usual.^[2][9][10] The noun écoulement (1539) was likewise applied to goods from 1832.^[9]

Timeline

• c. 1160 – Soi escoler “to slip away” in the Roman d'Eneas.^[2][9]
• c. 1245 – Used of blood flowing.^[2]
• 1299–1307 – Used of water in the Livre de Marco Polo.^[2]
• 1539 – The noun écoulement is recorded.^[9]
• 1550 – Used for flowing until exhausted.^[9]
• 1557 – Amyot uses it of people leaving a place.^[2][9]
• 1580 – Montaigne uses the transitive verb for spending time.^[3]
• 1587 – La Noue uses the reflexive of time passing.^[10][3]
• 1810 – Chateaubriand uses the reflexive of goods being sold.^[2][10]
• 1829 – The transitive écouler is used of goods.^[9]
• 1835 – The Académie records the commercial sense.^[3][10]

Meanings

Verb

1. (transitive) To sell off goods, to dispose of a stock: Le libraire a écoulé tous ses invendus.^[11][12][1]
2. (transitive) To pass into circulation, as counterfeit money.^[3]
3. (transitive, classical) To spend or pass one's time.^[3]
4. (reflexive) Of a liquid, to flow out of a place: L'eau s'écoule par une fente.^[12][5][2]
5. (reflexive) Of a crowd, to move away gradually; to disperse.^[12][5][1]
6. (reflexive) Of time, to pass, to elapse: Deux semaines s'écoulèrent.^[12][5][1]
7. (reflexive) To disappear little by little, as money or a fortune.^[12][1]
8. (reflexive) Of goods, to be sold.^[2]

Word family

• écoulement

Related words

• couler
• découler
• Latin cōlō

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 879b
8. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 279a
9. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ a b c d e Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
11. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
12. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert