enfiler

Forms

enfiler^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French en- + fil + -er.^[2][3][4] Littré cites Burgundian anfillé beside it.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record, aguille enfiler “to thread a needle” in Hélinant de Froidmont's Vers de la Mort (1193–1197), already has the sense “to pass a thread through something”.^[2]

Semantic evolution

From threading, the verb came to mean “to run through with a sword” (1561 according to Rey, 1595 in Montaigne according to the TLFi).^[6][2] The image of a straight line gave enfiler a road or street “to go straight along it” (1609, Régnier: enfiler la venelle “to take to one's heels”), and the idea of a thread running on gave the sense “to reel off” words (1618).^[2][6] The familiar sense “to put on a garment” is recorded in 1866 (Taine).^[2][6] The idea of piercing also gave a vulgar sexual sense in the 17th century,^[6][4] and in Parisian slang enfiler and s'enfiler meant “to drink, to gulp down” (1878).^[2][7]

Timeline

• 1193–1197 – Aguille enfiler “to thread a needle” in Hélinant de Froidmont.^[2]
• 1549 – Estienne records s'enfiler “to be caught in a trap”.^[2]
• 1595 – Montaigne uses it for running someone through with a weapon.^[2]
• 1609 – Régnier has enfiler la venelle.^[2]
• 1611 – The derivative enfilade appears.^[8][6]
• 1866 – Taine uses it of putting on stockings.^[2]
• 1878 – Rigaud records the slang sense “to drink”.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To thread: to pass a thread through (a needle, beads), or to string objects on a thread or rod: enfiler une aiguille.^[4][2][1]
2. Enfiler des perles (familiar): to waste one's time on trifles.^[4][9]
3. To reel off one after another: enfiler les anecdotes.^[4][2]
4. To slip on or put on (a garment): enfiler un manteau.^[4][1]
5. To go straight along (a road, a corridor): nous avons enfilé la grande avenue.^[4][2]
6. (dated) To run through with a weapon.^[2][5]
7. (vulgar) To have sex with.^[4][1]
8. S'enfiler (familiar): to gulp down (a drink).^[7][2]

Word family

• enfilade
• désenfiler
• renfiler

Related words

• fil
• filer
• défiler

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 o p q 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ 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
5. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
8. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
9. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse