consentir

Forms

consentir^[1] Old French cunsentir (Wace, 1155).^[2] Anglo-Norman consenter and counsentir.^[3]

Etymology

It is a very early borrowing, borrowed from Latin cōnsentiō (“to be in agreement with”).^[2][4][5] The Latin verb is formed from cum (“with”) and sentiō (“to feel, hold an opinion”), in the sense of being of one mind.^[4][6][7] Wiktionary describes it as inherited through Old French but borrowed from Latin.^[1]

Cognate with Old Occitan consentir, Spanish consentir and Italian consentire.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in the Vie de saint Léger (mid-10th century) in the sense “to agree with, conform to”, and by the end of the century in the Passion of Clermont meaning “to grant, permit”.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

From “to be in agreement” the verb passed to the concrete “to grant, give one's assent to something”, first with a direct object, and specially in law from 1690.^[4][2] Old French already had consentir que (1155) and the absolute use (about 1160–1174), then consentir à (13th century); consentir de has gone out of use.^[4][2] Classical and older usage put a noun after the verb, while modern usage favours the passive, which stresses the person granted something.^[4] In the Chanson de Roland it means “to grant” (Deus tout mal te consente).^[8]

Sailors use it of a mast or spar that gives or bends under strain.^[2][9][8] The noun consentement dates from the 12th century.^[4][10]

Timeline

• mid-10th century – Vie de saint Léger, “to agree with”.^[2]
• late 10th century – Passion of Clermont, “to grant, permit”.^[2]
• 1155 – Cunsentir que in Wace's Brut.^[2]
• c. 1160–1174 – Absolute use in Wace's Roman de Rou.^[2]
• 13th century – Consentir à.^[2][4]
• 1690 – Furetière records the legal sense (consentir l'execution d'un testament).^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. Consentir à: to consent to, agree to, allow something to be done.^[9][1][7]
2. To grant (an advantage, a delay, a loan) to someone: consentir un rabais à un client.^[9][7]
3. Consentir que (with the subjunctive): to allow or admit that.^[9][7]
4. (nautical) Of a mast or spar, to give or bend under strain.^[9][2][8]

Word family

• consentement
• consentant

Related words

• sentir
• consensus

Usage notes

The proverb qui ne dit mot consent (“silence gives consent”) uses the absolute construction.^[9]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m 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. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 1062a
6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France