défier

Forms

défier^[1] Old French desfier.^[2][3] Old French also had difier “to distrust” is recorded in the late 12th century.^[2][4]

Etymology

It is formed from French dé- + fier¹ (“to trust”), first as Old French desfier.^[2][4][5][6] The base verb comes from Vulgar Latin *fīdō (“to entrust”), derived from Latin fīdus (“faithful”).^[6] The original sense was feudal: to declare to one's lord or opponent that one renounces the faith one had sworn to him, which led on the one hand to “challenge, provoke” and on the other to “withdraw one's trust”.^[6][3][7]

The reflexive use “to distrust” is the same formation, but its sense was shaped by Latin diffīdō (“to distrust”), from dis- and fīdō (“to trust”).^[2][4][5] The Latin verb had already given Old French difier in the 12th century.^[2][4][7] The Grand Robert and the Petit Robert therefore list the transitive verb “to challenge” (1080) and the reflexive “to distrust” (16th century) as separate headwords.^[4][8] Wiktionary likewise gives the prefix and the verb, with the influence of the Latin verb.^[1]

Cognate with Old Occitan desfiar and Italian disfidare, diffidare.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Chanson de Roland (about 1100) desfier means to call an opponent to come and measure himself against one in combat;^[2][3] Roland's companions use it of defying a knight in battle.^[2][3] In feudal use it meant to notify one's suzerain that one gave up the faith sworn to him and became his enemy.^[2][6]

Semantic evolution

From the feudal renunciation of faith, défier came to mean “to challenge to a fight”, already in the Chanson de Roland, and then to any contest.^[2][6][7] About 1130 it also meant “to renounce, abandon”, probably under the influence of Latin diffidere.^[2][7] Du Bellay (before 1560) used it for “to brave, not fear”, and Molière in 1661 for défier quelqu'un de “to dare someone to do something one thinks they cannot do”.^[2][5] Montaigne (1580) applied it to things that withstand a test.^[5]

The reflexive se défier de “to distrust, be on one's guard against” is recorded about 1262,^[2][7] and Robert Estienne records it in 1538.^[5] Today it is literary, se méfier being the everyday verb.^[8][7] The derived noun défi (late 15th century) followed the verb's senses;^[6][7] défiance meant “challenge” in 1170 and took its modern sense “distrust” in the 16th century.^[6][7]

Timeline

• c. 1100 – Desfier “to challenge to combat” appears in the Chanson de Roland.^[2]
• c. 1130 – Used for “to renounce, abandon” in the Couronnement de Louis.^[2]
• late 12th century – Old French difier “to distrust”, from Latin diffidere, is recorded.^[2]
• c. 1262 – Soi desfier de “to distrust” is recorded.^[2][7]
• before 1560 – Du Bellay uses it for “to brave”.^[2]
• 1661 – Molière uses défier quelqu'un de “to dare someone to”.^[2][7]

Meanings

Verb

1. To challenge someone to fight or to compete against one: défier un rival aux échecs.^[8][9]
2. To dare someone to do something one believes they cannot do: je te défie de trouver mieux.^[8][9]
3. (of things) To withstand, be in no danger from: des prix défiant toute concurrence.^[8][9]
4. (figurative) To defy, brave, refuse to submit to: défier la mort.^[8][9]
5. (historical) To renounce the faith sworn to one's lord, declaring oneself his enemy.^[2]
6. se défier de (literary) To distrust, be on one's guard against: se défier de soi-même, to lack confidence in oneself.^[8][9][1]

Word family

• défi
• défiance
• défiant

Related words

• fier¹
• méfier
• confier
• Latin diffīdō

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 n o p q r s 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 e Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
4. ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ a b c d e f g Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b c d e Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)