fendre

Forms

fendre^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Latin findō (“to split, separate, divide”).^{[2][3][4][5][6]} The Latin verb goes back to Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyd- (“to split”),^[1][7] a root also seen in the English word bite and German beißen (“to bite”).^[7]

The noun fente continues a participle Vulgar Latin *finditus that disappeared very early.^[6]

Cognate with Italian fendere, Catalan fendre, Spanish hender and Portuguese fender.^[7][6][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

Rey, the GLLF and Littré date the first record to about 980, in the Fragment de Valenciennes, with the sense “to cut through a solid body”.^[3][9][8] The TLFi's earliest example, from the mid-11th-century Passion, is intransitive, “to tear, to divide”.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The figurative heart that breaks with grief is already in the Chanson de Roland (about 1100).^[2][8] By analogy the verb came to mean “to make one's way through a fluid” (about 1306, of waves) or “through a mass” (about 1360, fendre la foule).^[2][3][9] From 1611 it also meant “to make a crack in”.^[3][9]

The reflexive se fendre is recorded in 1648 and was used in fencing for lunging (1835).^[3][2] Familiar se fendre de “to bring oneself to give” dates from 1846;^[3] se fendre “to laugh” is in Vadé (1755), and the phrases se fendre la gueule, la pipe, la pêche appear in the 20th century.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 980 – Fendut appears in the Fragment de Valenciennes.^[3][9][8]
• Mid 11th century – The Passion uses it intransitively, “to tear, divide”.^[2][3]
• c. 1100 – The Chanson de Roland uses it of a heart breaking with grief.^[2]
• c. 1306 – Guillaume Guiart writes of fendant les ondes.^[2][3]
• c. 1360 – Froissart uses it for making one's way through a crowd.^[9][3]
• 1611 – À pierre fendant is recorded.^[3]
• 1648 – The reflexive se fendre is recorded.^[3]
• 1755 – Vadé uses se fendre for laughing.^[3]
• 1835 – The Académie records fendez-vous in fencing.^[2][3]
• 1846 – Se fendre de “to bring oneself to give”.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To split or cleave a solid body, usually lengthwise, as in fendre du bois.^[7][8][1]
2. To make a crack in.^[3][1]
3. To force one's way through a fluid or a crowd: fendre la foule.^[3][1]
4. Fendre le cœur, fendre l'âme: to fill with grief or pity.^[7][8][1]
5. Se fendre: to split, to crack;^[3][2][1] (fencing) to lunge.^[3][2][1]
6. (familiar) Se fendre de: to bring oneself to give or spend something.^[3][1]
7. (familiar) Se fendre la poire, se fendre la gueule: to laugh heartily.^[7][3][1]

Word family

• fendeur
• fendiller
• fendoir
• fente
• pourfendre
• refendre
• fendant
• fendage

Related words

• fesse
• fissure
• fission
• Latin findō

Usage notes

Geler à pierre fendre “to freeze hard” dates from the 17th century, after à pierre fendant (1611).^[3][7] Fendre un cheveu en quatre means to make overly subtle distinctions.^[8][9]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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 q r s t u v w 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. 3, 549a
6. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c d e f g Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse