doucher

Forms

doucher^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French douche + -er.^[2][3][1] The noun douche is from Italian doccia, recorded in Montaigne's journal of 1580–81 as a cited Italian word.^[2][4] The Italian noun for a shower is a deverbal noun of docciare (“to flow in a jet”), from the older sense of the same Italian noun, “conduit, pipe”, perhaps from doccione (“conduit”), borrowed from Latin ductiō.^[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The verb is first recorded in Oudin's dictionary in 1642, meaning “to give a shower to”;^[5][4][3] Rey dates it to 1640,^[6] and the TLFi's first record is the Académie dictionary of 1762.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Besides the hygienic and medical sense, doucher came in the early 20th century to mean “to pour plenty of water on”, especially of rain, as in se faire doucher.^[5][6] About 1900 it took on the familiar sense “to scold”, and then “to disappoint, cool someone's enthusiasm”, mostly in the passive (être douché).^[6][5][7] In African French se doucher is also used for washing the whole body, where European French says se baigner.^[6]

Timeline

• 1642 – Oudin records doucher.^[5][4]
• 1687 – The derivative doucheur is first recorded.^[4][6]
• 1762 – The Académie dictionary includes it.^[2]
• c. 1900 – The familiar sense “to scold” appears.^[6]
• early 20th century – Senses “to drench” and “to disappoint” are recorded.^[5]

Meanings

Verb

1. To give a douche to someone, for washing or for treatment: doucher un patient;^[8][2][1] se doucher, to take a shower.^[8][2][1]
2. To drench, said especially of rain: l'averse nous a douchés.^[8][5]
3. (familiar, dated) To scold someone.^[8][6]
4. (figurative, familiar) To disappoint someone, to cool their enthusiasm.^[8][5][1]

Word family

• doucheur

Related words

• douche

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c d e f g 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
8. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert