égard

Forms

égard m (plural égards)^[1] Old French esgart (about 1140), esguarz (about 1165); the spelling égard is recorded in 1549.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is a deverbal noun of the Old French verb esguarder (“to watch over, take care of”) (about 1050), itself from Old French es- + garder (“to guard, keep”).^{[2][5][3][4][6]} garder is of Germanic origin, from Frankish *wardōn.^[7]

Cognate with Old Occitan esgart, Catalan esguard, Spanish esguarde and Italian sguardo.^[8] It is related to regard and regarder.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record, in Gaimar's Estoire des Engleis (about 1140), is in the phrase al mien esgart “in my opinion”.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

The sense “opinion” lasted into the 17th century in phrases such as avoir esgard “to watch, examine” and prendre égard “to notice”.^[5] About 1165 it meant “consideration, examination” and also a decision; from this came, in 1422 in Alain Chartier, the sense of particular attention or solicitude paid to someone.^[2][5]

Today it is used chiefly with avoir and in phrases in which it only expresses a relation: eu égard à (1549, Estienne), à cet égard (before 1606, Desportes), à l'égard de (17th century), à tous égards (1740, Vauvenargues).^[2][5][9] The stronger sense lives on in par égard pour and sans égard pour, and in the plural égards, marks of consideration and esteem.^[5]

Timeline

• c. 1140 – Al mien esgart “in my opinion”, in Gaimar.^[2]
• c. 1165 – “Consideration”, in Benoît de Sainte-Maure.^[2]
• 1422 – Alain Chartier uses it for solicitude towards someone.^[2]
• 1549 – Eu égard à in Robert Estienne.^[2][9]
• before 1606 – À cet égard in Desportes.^[2]
• 1740 – À tous égards in Vauvenargues.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (dated) Consideration, attention given to someone or something: avoir égard à son âge.^[4][2]
2. Eu égard à: considering, in view of.^[4][2]
3. À l'égard de: with regard to, towards: être juste à l'égard de ses employés.^[4][2]
4. À cet égard: in this respect, à tous égards: in every respect.^[2][5]
5. Par égard pour, sans égard pour: out of, without respect for.^[5][8]
6. (usually plural) Marks of esteem and deference: avoir des égards pour quelqu'un, manquer d'égards.^[5][8]

Related words

• garder
• regard
• regarder

Usage notes

A second, obsolete égard (1247, eswart) was the title of the sworn inspectors of the trades in northern France and Flanders; it also named the tribunal of the Order of Malta that judged disputes between knights (1704).^[10][8]

References

1. ^ a b 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 17, 513a
7. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
8. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
10. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse