embarquer

Forms

embarquer^[1] Middle French enbarchier (1419) and ambarquer (1511).^[2]

Etymology

It is formed from French en- + barque + -er.^[2][3][4][1] The first record is the reflexive Middle French enbarchier (1419), and ambarquer is found in 1511.^[2] The noun barque is from Italian barca, from Latin barca, a word of uncertain origin.^[5]

Compare Occitan embarcar, Spanish embarcar and Italian imbarcare.^[6] The English verb embark was borrowed from the French word in the 1540s.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1419, as s'enbarchier “to go on board a boat”, in N. de Caumont's account of his voyage to Jerusalem.^[2] Rey and the Grand Robert date it to 1418, in the form embarchier used as a noun.^[8][3]

Semantic evolution

The transitive sense “to put or take on board” is recorded from 1511, and the reflexive s'embarquer “to go on board” from about 1550.^[8] The reflexive soon took the figurative sense “to get involved in a risky or complicated business” (about 1590), and the transitive verb the matching sense “to draw someone into an affair” (before 1654, Guez de Balzac).^[8][9]

In the language of the sea it came to mean “to ship water”, of a boat taking a wave over its side (1843, Lamartine), and later also intransitively (1864).^[8][9] By extension it was used for carrying something off with one, familiarly “to steal” (20th century), for arresting someone (1883), and simply for loading people or things into a vehicle (early 20th century).^[8] The noun embarquement is recorded from 1533.^[5][8]

Timeline

• 1419 – S'enbarchier “to go on board” appears in N. de Caumont's Voyaige d'oultremer.^[2]
• 1511 – The form ambarquer is found in the letters of Louis XII.^[2]
• 1533 – First record of the noun embarquement.^[5][8]
• 1540s – The English verb embark is borrowed from French.^[7]
• c. 1550 – The reflexive s'embarquer “to go on board” is recorded.^[8]
• c. 1590 – S'embarquer takes the sense “to get involved in a risky business”.^[8]
• Before 1654 – Guez de Balzac uses it for drawing someone into an affair.^[9][8]
• 1843 – Lamartine uses it for a boat shipping water.^[9][8]
• 1883 – The familiar sense “to arrest” is recorded.^[8]
• Early 20th century – It is used for loading people or goods into a vehicle.^[8][9]

Meanings

Verb

1. To take or put people or goods on board a ship; by extension, into a vehicle or aircraft: embarquer des caisses dans une camionnette.^[4][10][11]
2. (intransitive, also s'embarquer) To go on board a ship, plane or other vehicle, to embark.^[10][11][2]
3. (nautical) Of a boat, to ship water; of the sea, to wash over the side: embarquer un paquet de mer.^[9][4][10]
4. (familiar) To arrest and take away: les gendarmes l'ont embarqué hier soir.^[4][10]
5. (familiar) To take something away with one, sometimes to steal it.^[10][8]
6. (figurative) To involve someone in a difficult affair;^[10][8][1] s'embarquer dans, to get into a venture.^[10][8][1]
7. (technology, past participle) Embarqué: carried on board a vehicle, on-board.^[4]

Word family

• embarquement
• rembarquer

Related words

• barque
• débarquer
• embarcadère
• English embark

References

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