détour

Forms

détour m (plural détours)^[1] Old French destor, destour in the 13th century; the spelling détour dates from the 16th century.^[2]

Etymology

It is a deverbal noun from French détourner (“to turn aside”), first as Old French destor.^[3][4][2][1] détourner (first desturner, 1080) is itself from French tourner with the prefix dé-,^[5] and that verb comes from Latin tornō (“to turn on a lathe”).^[6][1] Littré analysed the noun instead as the prefix and tour³.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears about 1165 in Chrétien de Troyes's Cligès, in en un destor, for an out-of-the-way place, a hiding place.^[3][5][4]

Semantic evolution

Early in the 13th century en destour meant "secretly", and in the same century the word was used figuratively for a pretext or subterfuge.^[3][5][8] In 1538 Robert Estienne's dictionary has the plural for winding paths, and in 1552 it is first found for the place where a road or river changes direction and a way longer than the direct one;^[3][5][2] Rabelais writes of le grand destour du chemin (1548).^[3][5][2] The plural was applied to indirect, veiled speech (1553) and to the secret recesses of the heart (1690), while être sans détour expressed frankness (1835).^[5] English borrowed detour in 1738, at first mostly in figurative uses.^[9]

Timeline

• c. 1165 – En un destor “in an out-of-the-way place” in Cligès.^[3]
• Early 13th century – En destour “secretly”.^[3][5]
• 1226 – Destour means “subterfuge”.^[8]
• 1538 – Robert Estienne records the plural for winding ways.^[3][5]
• 1548 – Rabelais writes le grand destour du chemin.^[3]
• 1552 – It names a bend in a road and a roundabout way.^[5][2]
• 1690 – The plural is used for the recesses of the heart.^[5]
• 1738 – English detour is borrowed.^[9]
• 1835 – Être sans détour “to be frank” is recorded.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. A bend or curve in a road or river: au détour du chemin, where the path turns.^[8] Figuratively, au détour d'une phrase.^[8][1]
2. A detour, a longer way than the direct route: faire un détour.^[8][1] Valoir le détour: to be worth a visit.^[8][1]
3. (figurative) An indirect means, subterfuge.^[8][7] Sans détour: plainly, frankly.^[8][7][1]
4. (plural) The secret recesses: les détours du cœur.^[7][5]

Related words

• détourner
• détournement
• tour³
• tourner
• English detour

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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. ^ a b 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 i j k l Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com