fausser

Forms

fausser^[1] Old French falser; the form fausser appears in the 12th century.^[2][3][4] Anglo-Norman also has faucer, faulser and fauxer.^[5]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French falser, inherited from Late Latin falsō (“to falsify, alter”), from falsus (“false”).^{[6][7][4][1][8]}

Cognate with Italian falsare, Occitan falsar, Spanish falsear and Portuguese falsar.^[9][10]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears as falser in the Chanson de Roland (about 1100), in the feudal sense “to declare a statement false, give the lie to”.^[6][4]

Semantic evolution

Medieval French also used it for “to falsify” and “to accuse of falsehood”.^[7][4] Of armour it meant “to damage, break through”: Wace writes that the hauberk falsa in 1155.^[6][10] From that sense of damage comes fausset (1322), the peg that stops the hole bored in a cask.^[7][4]

The sense “to break one's word” appears in the 12th century,^[6][4] with fausser sa foi at the end of the 15th century and fausser compagnie before 1565;^[2][4][9] fausser compagnie first meant being unfaithful to a company, then leaving without taking leave.^[2][4][9] The abstract sense “to distort the truth” goes back to 1273, and jugement faussé is found in 1580.^[4]

Timeline

• c. 1100 – Falser “to give the lie to” appears in the Chanson de Roland.^[6]
• c. 1135 – Falser a “to break faith with someone” is recorded.^[6]
• 1155 – Wace uses it of a damaged hauberk.^[6]
• 1273 – It is used for “to distort the truth”.^[4][2]
• 1322 – The derivative fausset “cask peg” appears.^[7][4]
• 1580 – Montaigne uses it of the judgement.^[4][2]
• Before 1565 – Fausser compagnie is first recorded.^[6][4]
• 1792 – The derivative se défausser appears.^[4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To distort or falsify something abstract; to make (a result, a calculation) inaccurate.^[11][1] Une seule erreur a faussé toute l'enquête.^[11][1]
2. To warp or impair the soundness of (the mind, the judgement).^[11] Ces préjugés lui ont faussé le jugement.^[11]
3. To bend or damage (a mechanism, a key, a lock) by excessive force.^[11]
4. Fausser compagnie (à quelqu'un): to leave someone abruptly or without warning.^[11][9]
5. (Canada, familiar, intransitive) To sing out of tune.^[11]

Word family

• fausset
• défausser

Related words

• fausseté
• faussement
• faux¹
• falsifier
• Latin falsus

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
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 i j k l m n Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
6. ^ a b c d e f g h 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
7. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
8. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 393a
9. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
10. ^ a b Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
11. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert