bravade

Forms

bravade f (plural bravades)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Italian bravata (“a reckless deed done for show, provocative behaviour”),^{[2][3][4][5][6][7]} the feminine past participle, used as a noun, of bravare (“to act the brave, to boast”), from bravo (see brave).^[2][3][4] The GLLF speaks of a dialect suffix.^[5] Rey rejects a borrowing from Spanish bravata (1526), which Corominas takes to be from Italian, given the vogue of the word in the 16th century and the other Italian loans of the time, such as bravoure and bravache; a derivative of the adjective with the suffix -ade is unlikely for the same reasons.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Grand Robert and the GLLF date it to 1494, from a quotation found by Delboulle;^[4][5] Bloch and Wartburg and Rey date it to 1547.^[3][2] It expressed a show of bravery.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Much in vogue in the 16th century, the word also had a favourable sense, “bravery, pride”, under the influence of brave.^[2][3] Outside war it could describe a lively, graceful movement, luxury and magnificence, or elegance and good looks;^[2][8] Belon, for instance, wrote of the great bravade of a Turkish lord on horseback.^[8] Cotgrave (1611) glosses it as a bravado, a boastful affront or a show of challenge.^[9] Only the sense taken from Italian has lasted.^[2]

Classical French had faire bravade à quelqu'un “to defy or offend someone”, used by Molière.^[5] In the plural, in Provence and some other regions, bravades are mock combats held on certain occasions.^[10] The 16th-century verb bravader meant to show off one's elegance.^[2][8]

Timeline

• 1494 – First record, according to the GLLF and the Grand Robert.^[5][4]
• 1547 – Date given by Bloch and Wartburg and by Rey.^[3][2]
• 16th century – Montaigne writes of les bravades de cet ennemy vaincu.^[7]
• 1611 – Cotgrave glosses it as “a bravado”.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. A show of bravery, bravado: il a pris ce risque par bravade.^[6][10]
2. An act or attitude of insolent defiance towards an authority or a person.^[6][5][7]
3. (regional, in the plural) Mock combats held on certain feast days, as in Provence.^[10]

Word family

• bravader

Related words

• brave
• braver
• bravoure
• bravache
• bravo
• Italian bravata

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c Huguet, Edmond (1925–1967), Dictionnaire de la langue française du seizième siècle, 7 vols., Paris: Champion / Didier
9. ^ a b Cotgrave, Randle (1611), A Dictionarie of the French and English Tongues, London: Adam Islip
10. ^ a b c 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