dreige

Forms

dreige f (plural dreiges), also spelled drège^[1][2] The first record is spelled drege (1584); folles-dreiges appears in the naval ordinance of 1681.^[3] Littré, the Académie's later dictionaries and Larousse also give drège, the only spelling the Robert admits.^[3]

Etymology

It is probably borrowed from English dredge, the name of a dragnet;^[3][4] English already had the compound dreg-boat “boat fishing with such a net” in 1471.^[3][4] The Grand Robert dates the English noun to 1576 and calls the French word of unknown origin, perhaps from English;^[1] the Petit Robert simply says its origin is unknown,^[5] while the GLLF derives it from English without reservation.^[2] Sainéan counted it as the one English fishing term taken over by the fishermen of northern France, a Frenchified form of the English word.^[6] The FEW lists it among the words of English origin.^[7]

The English noun is first found in Scottish texts in the late 15th century, perhaps from the root of drag, possibly through Middle Dutch dregghe (“dragnet”).^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded as drege in 1584, in a maritime text published in Pardessus's collection of sea laws, naming a fishing net.^[3][1]

Semantic evolution

The word has always belonged to sea fishing: it names a large trammel net dragged over the sea floor for big fish, and by extension the fishing done with it.^[3][9] The naval ordinance of 1681 regulates folles-dreiges, and Savary des Bruslons used the spelling dreige in 1723.^[3][2] A fisherman who works with this net is a dreigeur or drégeur.^[1]

Timeline

• 1584 – First record, as drege.^[3][1]
• 1681 – The naval ordinance mentions folles-dreiges.^[3]
• 1723 – Savary des Bruslons writes dreige.^[2]
• 1873 – Littré enters dreige and refers drège to it.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. (fishing) A large trammel net dragged along the sea bottom, its ends held apart by floats.^[3][9]
2. (fishing) Fishing with such a net.^[3][9]

Word family

• dreigeur

Related words

• drague
• English dredge

Usage notes

The Grand Robert lists a second drège, a different word: an iron comb for stripping flax seed from the stalks (1700), from German Dresche and dreschen (“to thresh”).^[1][2]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
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 j k 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 Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
5. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Sainéan, Lazare (1925–1930), Les sources indigènes de l'étymologie française, 3 vols., Paris: de Boccard
7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 18, 55a
8. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette