dépenser

Forms

dépenser^[1] Middle French spelled it with ⟨s⟩, as in despenser (despensant in Froissart).^[2]

Etymology

It is formed from French dépense + -er.^[3][1][4][5] The noun is from Latin dispensa, the feminine past participle of dispendō (“to weigh out, distribute”) used as a noun, whose ⟨n⟩ was kept, as in dépens.^[6][5][7]

Bloch and Wartburg note that it replaced the older verb dépendre (“to spend”), which was hampered by its two homonyms.^[6] Littré compares Old Occitan despensar and Old Spanish despesar.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLFi's first record is in the Miserere of the Reclus de Molliens, in the first quarter of the 13th century, where it means “to use, make use of” goods.^[3][5]

Semantic evolution

The verb followed the history of the noun dépense.^[5] From “using up goods” it came to mean “laying out money to obtain something”, the sense the GLLF dates to Froissart (about 1360) and the TLFi to Cotgrave (1611).^[8][3]

At the start of the 17th century it was used figuratively for spending lavishly, first of time (Régnier, before 1613).^[3][5] In the 19th century the object became activity and energy: the reflexive se dépenser “to exert oneself” is found in Balzac in 1832, and dépenser de l'énergie in 1836.^[3][5] In 1907 Bergson used it of an organism using up energy to function, and it is also said of machines that consume fuel.^[3][5]

Timeline

• 1200–1225 – The Reclus de Molliens uses it for using up goods.^[3]
• c. 1360 – Froissart uses it for spending money.^[8]
• 1611 – Cotgrave records “to use money to obtain something”.^[3]
• before 1613 – Régnier uses it for spending time lavishly.^[3][8]
• 1832 – Se dépenser “to exert oneself” appears in Balzac.^[3][5]
• 1836 – Dépenser de l'énergie is recorded.^[3]
• 1907 – Bergson uses it of an organism consuming energy.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To spend money: elle a dépensé tout son salaire en livres.^[9][10][11]
2. To consume a quantity of something, of a machine or vehicle: ce camion dépense trop de gazole.^[9][10]
3. (figurative) To spend time, effort or energy, often lavishly.^[9][8]
4. Dépenser sa salive (familiar): to talk a great deal.^[8]
5. Se dépenser: to be spent (l'argent se dépense vite en vacances), or to exert oneself.^[9][3]

Related words

• dépense
• dépens
• dépensier
• Latin dispendō

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
3. ^ 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
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. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 97a
8. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
10. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
11. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)