entreprendre

Forms

entreprendre^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French entre- + prendre in Old French.^[2][3][4] The verb goes back to prehendō (“to seize”).^[5][6] The sense “to begin, set about” arose by a change of prefix from the Old French verb emprendre “to begin, put into effect” (from about 1100), which comes from Late Latin *imprehendō.^[2][3]

Cognate with Old Occitan entreprendre, Spanish interprender and Italian intraprendere.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found about 1140 in Gaimar's Histoire des Anglais, meaning “to attack”.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

In Old French the verb meant “to attack” and, figuratively from 1174–1176, “to challenge, accuse” someone; these senses died out, as did “to strike (someone)” of an illness, used from the 14th to the 19th century.^[2][3] The idea of attack survives in entreprendre quelqu'un “to set about someone”, to mock or to win them over in argument (15th century), and in entreprendre contre for hostile action (1647).^[3] Entreprendre sur meant “to claim the right to judge” (1396) and later “to encroach on”.^[2][3] From 1559 it also meant “to try to win over by flattery, to try to seduce”, the sense still felt in entreprenant.^[2][3]

The main modern sense, “to begin something, set about doing it”, appears in Chrétien de Troyes' Chevalier de la charrette (1176–1181), taken over from emprendre.^[2][3] From the 17th century it was used of commercial dealings (1671), contracting to do work at an agreed price, and in the 17th century it also meant “to take charge of someone”, a sense now lost.^[3][8]

The Old French past participle gave enterprise “an undertaking”, borrowed into English in the early 15th century as enterprise.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 1140 – Gaimar uses it for “to attack”.^[2][3]
• 1174–1176 – Guernes de Pont-Sainte-Maxence uses it figuratively for “to challenge, accuse”.^[2]
• 1176–1181 – Chrétien de Troyes uses it for “to begin, undertake”.^[2][8]
• 1253–1289 – The derivative entreprendeeur is recorded, an early form of entrepreneur.^[3]
• 1396 – Entreprendre sur “to claim the right to judge” is recorded.^[2][3]
• Early 15th century – English borrows enterprise.^[6]
• 1559 – Amyot uses it for “to try to win over by flattery”.^[2]
• 1647 – Entreprendre contre “to take hostile action against” is recorded.^[3]
• 1671 – Pomey records it of commercial undertakings.^[8][3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To undertake, to set about doing something: entreprendre une enquête “to undertake an inquiry”.^[9][7][1]
2. Entreprendre de + infinitive: to set out to do something, to attempt: il a entrepris de repeindre la maison “he set about repainting the house”.^[9][7]
3. (absolute) To start new ventures, to take initiative: elle n'a pas peur d'entreprendre “she is not afraid to take things on”.^[9][7]
4. To contract to carry out work or supply goods at an agreed price and on agreed terms.^[7][8]
5. Entreprendre quelqu'un: to tackle someone, to try to persuade or win them over, or to try to seduce them.^[2][7][3]
6. (dated) Entreprendre sur: to encroach on.^[2][3]

Word family

• entreprise
• entrepreneur
• entreprenant

Related words

• prendre
• English enterprise

References

1. ^ a b c 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 k l m n o p Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 9, 348b
6. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ a b c d e f Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert