exposer

Forms

exposer^[1] Anglo-Norman esposer, exposere.^[2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin expōnō (“to put on view, set forth, explain, abandon to”), refashioned after poser by the attraction of the many words formed on that verb.^[3][4][5][1] The Grand Robert adds the influence of the forms from the supine expositum.^[6] The Latin verb is formed ex- + pōnō (“to put, place”), which gave French pondre.^[4]

The inherited outcome of the Latin verb was Old French espondre “to set forth, explain”, used from the 12th to the 14th century; it gave way to the borrowed verb, which was supported by the other verbs formed on that verb.^[4][5][3][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears at the end of the 12th or the start of the 13th century, in the Old French Moralium in Job, in the Latin sense “to say, set forth while explaining”.^[3][4]

Semantic evolution

The sense of setting forth in speech later narrowed to presenting the opening of a play and, by analogy, of a piece of music.^[4] Other Latin senses were taken up from the 14th century: to display goods (1345), then the Blessed Sacrament (1680) and a criminal to public view (1690).^[3][4] Exposer un enfant, to abandon a child in a deserted place, is recorded from about 1355, in Bersuire.^[4][8]

Oresme used it for putting in danger in 1370 (exposer sa vie), and s'exposer à “to run the risk of” in the same work;^[3][4] s'exposer alone “to take risks” follows about 1390.^[3][4] The participle exposé “facing (a direction)” is recorded in 1538–1539 (un lieu exposé au soleil), the active use in 1596.^[3][4][8] In the 19th century the verb, like exposant, was applied to commercial and art exhibitions, and the participle took a sense in photography.^[4]

English expose was borrowed through Anglo-Norman, where exposer is recorded from 1312.^[2][9]

Timeline

• c. 1200 – First recorded in the Moralium in Job, “to set forth while explaining”.^[3]
• 1312 – Recorded in Anglo-Norman.^[2]
• 1345 – Used for displaying goods for sale.^[3][4]
• c. 1355 – Exposer un enfant, in Bersuire.^[4][8]
• 1370 – Oresme writes exposer sa vie and s'exposer à.^[3][4]
• 1389 – The noun exposant in law.^[3]
• 1539 – Exposé au soleil “facing the sun” in Robert Estienne.^[3]
• 1638 – The noun exposé in Richelieu's letters.^[3][4]
• 1680 – Exposer le saint-sacrement is recorded.^[4][8]
• 1870 – The reflexive s'exposer “to show oneself to others”.^[4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To display, to place so as to be seen: exposer des bijoux dans une vitrine.^[10][3]
2. To exhibit works of art or products, also intransitively of an artist who shows his work.^[10][4]
3. To orient or place in a given direction or under an influence: une maison exposée au sud.^[10][8]
4. (photography) To expose a film or plate to light.^[10][4]
5. To set forth or explain facts or ideas.^[10][3]
6. To put in danger, to leave open to a risk: exposer sa vie, exposer quelqu'un à un danger.^[10][3]
7. (historical) To abandon a newborn child in a deserted place.^[10][4]
8. S'exposer: to put oneself at risk, to lay oneself open to something.^[10][3]

Word family

• exposant
• sous-exposer
• surexposer
• exposé
• inexposé

Related words

• poser
• pondre
• composer
• Latin expōnō

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
3. ^ 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
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
10. ^ 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