débrouiller

Forms

débrouiller^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French dé- + brouiller.^[2][3][4] Rey treats it as the opposite of brouiller and embrouiller.^[5]

The base verb, first broueillier (“to mix”) in the 13th century, is probably derived from bro(u), which took the sense “mud, froth” in many northern dialects;^[3] that word is akin to Old French breu (“broth”), from Old High German *brod.^[3][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Robert Estienne records it in 1549 in the sense “to make clear to the mind what is tangled”.^[2][7] The concrete sense “to disentangle” is dated 1611 by the TLFi (Cotgrave) and 1636 by the GLLF (Monet).^[2][7]

Semantic evolution

The figurative sense came first and the concrete one soon after.^[2][5] The pronominal se débrouiller was first said of the weather clearing (before 1648, Voiture); from the idea of sorting out a situation came, in 1822, the sense “to see one's way, to get out of a difficulty”, which became very common.^[2][5] In this sense it competes with se démerder.^[5]

The later derivatives come from this figurative sense: débrouillage (1855), spread by the army in Africa, débrouille, débrouillard (1872) and débrouillardise (1937).^[5] The older débrouilleur (1648, Scarron) has gone out of use.^[5][2] The use with a person as object, “to teach someone to manage”, is a 20th-century familiar sense.^[7]

Timeline

• 1549 – Robert Estienne records it.^[2][7]
• 1611 – Cotgrave records the concrete sense.^[2]
• before 1648 – Voiture uses se débrouiller of the weather.^[2]
• 1648 – Débrouilleur appears in Scarron.^[2]
• 1822 – Se débrouiller “to manage” appears in Michelet.^[2]
• 1872 – Débrouillard is recorded.^[5][3]
• 1937 – Débrouillardise is recorded.^[5]

Meanings

Verb

1. To disentangle, to put in order what is tangled: débrouiller une pelote de laine.^[8][2]
2. (figurative) To clear up something confused or obscure, to elucidate it: débrouiller une affaire compliquée.^[8][7]
3. (familiar) To teach someone to manage on their own, or the rudiments of a subject.^[8][7]
4. Se débrouiller: to get out of a confused situation by putting it in order.^[8]
5. Se débrouiller (familiar): to manage, to get by, to find a way out of a difficulty: elle s'est débrouillée seule.^[8][1]

Word family

• débrouillard
• débrouillardise
• débrouille
• débrouilleur

Related words

• brouiller
• embrouiller

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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 c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f g h 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. 15/1, 296b
7. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert