cabriole

Forms

cabriole f (plural cabrioles)^[1] In the 16th and 17th centuries usually capriole (also capreole); cabriolle is found in 1562.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Italian capriola “female roe deer”, and by metonymy “leap”,^[2][1][5] first borrowed as capriole.^[2][1] Bloch and Wartburg and Picoche take the Italian noun from the verb capriolare, itself from capriolo (“roe deer”);^[3][6] the Rey dictionaries trace the noun to Late Latin capreola (“wild she-goat”), a derivative of capra (“goat”).^[2][5] Picoche gives Latin capreolus as the source of the word for roe deer.^[6]

The ⟨b⟩ of the modern form, which replaced the more common ⟨p⟩ form, comes from crossing with cabri, and probably also with cabrer.^[2][3][6][5] Littré cites the variant cavriola and an Occitan diminutive cabirola (“young she-goat”).^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Borrowed in 1550 as a light, frisky leap, a goat's jump.^[2] The GLLF's first record is in Tahureau in 1562, spelled cabriolle.^[4][3]

Semantic evolution

From the playful leap the word was specialized in horsemanship (1564), for a leap in which the horse rises off all four feet and kicks out, and in dancing (1611), for a jump in which the legs beat against each other.^[2][4][7] Montaigne, Agrippa d'Aubigné and still Molière wrote capriole.^[7]

The familiar phrase faire la cabriole meant “to take a fall” (1690); the figurative sense of a sudden, self-serving change of attitude (1690) is now dated, and the phrase has also been used as a euphemism for “to die” and “to go bankrupt” (1845).^[2] In modern French the word can mean a jest that cuts short an awkward discussion.^[8]

Its derivatives are cabrioler (1584, from Italian capriolare) and cabriolet (1755), the light carriage named for its jolting.^[3][6]

Timeline

• 1550 – Borrowed from Italian, with the variant capriole.^[2]
• 1562 – Tahureau writes cabriolle.^[4][3]
• 1564 – Used in horsemanship.^[2]
• 1584 – The verb cabrioler appears.^[3]
• 1611 – Used as a dance step;^[2][9] Cotgrave glosses capriole as a caper in dancing and a horse's leap.^[2][9]
• 1690 – Faire la cabriole “to fall” and the sense “turnabout” are recorded.^[2]
• 1755 – The derivative cabriolet appears.^[3]
• 1845 – Faire la cabriole is used for dying or going bankrupt.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. A light, playful leap or caper, usually in the plural: faire des cabrioles, also a somersault or pirouette, as a clown's.^[10][8][4]
2. (dance) A jump in which the dancer's legs, thrown forward or backward, beat against each other.^[8][10][4]
3. (horsemanship) A capriole, a leap in which the horse rises off all four feet and kicks out.^[4][7][1]
4. (figurative) A quip or dodge used to escape an awkward discussion, also a sudden change of attitude: Le ministre s’en est sorti par une cabriole.^[8][4]

Word family

• cabriolet
• cabrioleur
• cabrioler

Related words

• cabri
• cabrer
• chèvre
• Italian capriola
• Latin capra

Usage notes

Faire la cabriole has meant “to tumble”, “to change sides” and, euphemistically, “to die” or “to go bankrupt”.^[2]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ 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
5. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
7. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b Cotgrave, Randle (1611), A Dictionarie of the French and English Tongues, London: Adam Islip
10. ^ a b 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