désengager

Forms

désengager^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French dés- + engager, the prefix going back to Latin dis-.^[2][3][4][1] That verb is formed on gage, which Bloch and Wartburg derive from Frankish *wadi (“pledge”), a legal term of the Germanic peoples;^[5] the FEW files the family under *waddi.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is the past participle in pays desengaigiez, in the municipal archives of Amiens in 1462.^[2][7]

Semantic evolution

In the 16th century Montaigne uses it of freeing oneself or another from an obligation or a constraint.^[8] The reflexive se désengager is found in Malherbe in the early 17th century.^[4] Littré gives the senses “to release from a commitment”, “to withdraw from an invitation” and, in the army, “to cancel an enlistment”, but notes that dégager was the more usual and better word.^[8]

In modern French se désengager is used above all of reducing or ending political, economic or military commitments.^[4] The noun désengagement, recorded in 1464 or 1465 and at first a legal term,^[2][7] took on the diplomatic sense of withdrawing from an alliance.^[2]

Timeline

• 1462 – The past participle desengaigiez is recorded at Amiens.^[2]
• 1464 – First record of the noun désengagement.^[2]
• 16th century – Montaigne uses desengager of release from an obligation.^[8]
• early 17th century – Malherbe uses the reflexive se désengager.^[4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To release someone from a commitment or obligation.^[9][4][2]
2. Se désengager: to withdraw from one's commitments, especially political, economic or military ones.^[4][9]
3. (dated) To free or disengage a thing: désengager son bras “to free one's arm”.^[2]

Word family

• désengagement

Related words

• engager
• dégager
• gage

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 17, 445b
7. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert