détoner

Forms

détoner^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin dētonō (“to thunder loudly”), formed with the intensive prefix dē- on tonō (“to thunder”).^{[2][3][4][5][6][7][1]} It was first spelled with ⟨nn⟩.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Richelet's dictionary records it, as détonner, with the sense of a sudden noise produced by the release of a gas; the TLFi dates it 1679, the DHLF, Bloch and Wartburg and the GLLF 1680.^[2][3][4][6]

Semantic evolution

From “to make a sudden noise” the verb came to mean to make a violent noise like thunder and, in chemistry and physics, to explode with a very fast decomposition.^[3][6][8] Its present participle détonant became an adjective (1729), especially in mélange détonant “explosive gas mixture” (1860), also used figuratively.^[3] The noun détonation (1676 or 1690) names the noise of an explosion, and détonateur (1874) the device that sets off a charge, figuratively a trigger (about 1966).^[3][4] The spelling of the family long varied under the influence of tonner and of détonner “to sing out of tune”.^[3]

Timeline

• 1611 – Cotgrave records the noun détonnement.^[2][3]
• 1676 – Détonation is recorded, according to Bloch and Wartburg.^[4][3]
• 1679 – Richelet records the verb as détonner.^[2]
• 1729 – The adjective détonant appears.^[3]
• 1860 – Mélange détonant is recorded.^[3]
• 1874 – Détonateur is formed.^[3]
• 1927 – Antidétonant is formed.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To explode with a loud noise and a very rapid decomposition: faire détoner, to set off: Les démineurs ont fait détoner l'obus sur la plage.^{[8][6][9][10][2]}
2. To make a sudden, violent noise like thunder.^[2][11]
3. (figurative) To happen very suddenly: détoner comme une bombe.^[2]

Word family

• détonation
• détonateur
• détonant
• antidétonant

Related words

• tonner
• tonnerre
• Latin dētonō

Usage notes

Détoner “to explode” is a homophone of détonner “to sing out of tune, to clash”, and the two are often confused.^[8][10][3]

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. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
10. ^ a b Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
11. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)