emparer

Forms

emparer^[1] Middle French enparer (1323) and amparer (1470).^[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Old Occitan emparar (“to protect, defend”), recorded from 1183 in the sense “to claim, take possession”.^[2][3] The TLFi derives the Occitan verb from Vulgar Latin *imparō, beside the older Old Occitan antparar and amparar (mid-11th century), from *anteparō.^[2] Bloch and Wartburg, the Grand Robert and the GLLF trace the Occitan verb straight to this last form, “to make preparations in front”, its prefix having been replaced.^[4][5][6] Rey derives the first Vulgar Latin verb from the second, which he calls a calque of Latin praemūniō (“to fortify in front”).^[3] The verb is formed with ante (“before”) and parō (“to prepare”) (whence parer).^[3][5]

Bloch and Wartburg compare Spanish amparar (“to protect”);^[4] Wiktionary compares Italian imparare (“to learn”).^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

In 1323 enparer is a transitive verb meaning “to fortify, defend” a place.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

In feudal society fortifying a place was a way of claiming it, and Rey quotes Guiraud's remark that fortifying, protecting and seizing were one operation.^[3] The verb went from “fortify” (1323 to the 16th century) to “claim, occupy” a place (from 1470 to the 17th century).^[2][3] The reflexive s'emparer de “to make oneself master of” appears in 1514, modelled on se saisir de; the transitive verb went out of use.^[2][3][4]

In the 17th century it took the figurative sense of gaining complete hold over a mind or a person (before 1672, Boileau), and later the sense of seizing something in order to use it.^[2][3]

Timeline

• 1183 – Old Occitan emparar is recorded in the Albigeois in the sense “to take possession”.^[2]
• 1323 – Enparer “to fortify, defend”.^[2]
• 1470 – Amparer “to take, occupy”.^[2]
• 1514 – The reflexive “to make oneself master of something” in the customs of La Rochelle.^[2]
• 1549 – Last record of the sense “to fortify” cited by the TLFi.^[2]
• Before 1672 – Boileau uses it for complete domination over something.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. (pronominal, s'emparer de) To seize, take possession of by force or without right: s'emparer du pouvoir.^[7][6][1]
2. (pronominal) To grab hold of something and keep it for one's own use: Il s'empara du dernier croissant.^[6][1]
3. (pronominal) To take someone prisoner.^[6]
4. (pronominal, literary) Of a person, to gain complete hold over a mind; of a feeling, to overcome someone: La panique s'empara des passagers.^[7][3]
5. (obsolete, transitive) To fortify, defend.^[2][8]

Word family

• désemparer

Related words

• rempart
• parer

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b 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. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette