conchier

Forms

conchier^[1] Anglo-Norman cunchier, chunchier, counchier.^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French conchiier, inherited from Latin concacō (“to defile with excrement”).^[3][4][5][1] The Latin verb is formed from con- and cacō (“to defecate”),^[5][6] the source of chier.^[5]

Cognate with Occitan concagar and Catalan concagar.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record is in the Cambridge Psalter in the middle of the 12th century, where conchïee est la terre de sanc (“the land is defiled with blood”) renders Latin polluta.^[3]

Semantic evolution

From the start it meant both to soil with excrement and, more broadly, to sully or contaminate.^[3][2] By 1704 the Dictionnaire de Trévoux called it low and little used.^[3] In the 19th century writers used it figuratively for spoiling or showing contempt for something: Théophile Gautier has critics who can only conchier et gâter the works of others (1836), and Flaubert writes je conchie sur mes souvenirs (1855).^[3][6] Rey compares this figurative use to emmerder.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 1150 – The Cambridge Psalter uses the past participle conchïee “defiled”.^[3]
• 1704 – The Dictionnaire de Trévoux marks it as low and rarely used.^[3]
• 1836 – Théophile Gautier uses it figuratively of critics.^[3][6]
• 1855 – Flaubert writes conchier sur in a letter.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. (vulgar, literary) To soil with excrement; also reflexive se conchier, to soil oneself.^[4][3]
2. (figurative) To sully, to show utter contempt for something.^[3][6]
3. (vulgar, humorous) Used to tell someone to get lost.^[1]

Related words

• chier
• Latin concacō

Usage notes

Middle French also had incaguer (Rabelais), formed in the same way from in- and Latin cacare.^[5]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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
4. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
8. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert