ferrer

Forms

ferrer^[1] Old French ferer and, in Anglo-Norman, fereer beside ferrer.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Vulgar Latin *ferrō (“to fit with iron”),^[4][5][6] which Rey derives from Classical Latin ferrātus (“fitted with iron, containing iron”), a derivative of ferrum (“iron”).^[7] Wiktionary allows that the Old French verb may also have been formed directly on fer.^[1]

Cognate with Italian ferrare, Occitan ferrar, Catalan ferrar, Spanish herrar and Portuguese ferrar.^[4][3][8] Meyer-Lübke also lists Romanian înfiera and a Basque borrowing.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found about 1140 in the Pèlerinage de Charlemagne, meaning to fit or strengthen something with iron or another metal, and in the same text of fitting a horse's hooves with shoes.^[9]

Semantic evolution

Besides fitting with iron and shoeing animals, the medieval verb meant to put someone in irons (before 1233), a sense that came back in the 19th century for the chaining of convicts (1828–29, Vidocq).^[9][7] The participle ferré described a road covered with broken stone (1176–81, Chrétien de Troyes), the idea being hardness; in voie ferrée (1851) it is the metal of the rails that is meant.^[9][7] By a metaphor of hardness ferré also came to mean “difficult”, then “wise, skilful” (about 1450) and “well versed” in être ferré sur a subject.^[7][9]

Figurative phrases with horseshoes appeared in Middle French: se laisser ferrer (about 1462, Cent Nouvelles nouvelles) and ferrer la mule (about 1535).^[9][10] In angling ferrer le poisson means to drive the hook into a fish that has bitten (before 1856).^[7][11]

Timeline

• c. 1140 – The Pèlerinage de Charlemagne uses it for fitting with metal and for shoeing horses.^[9]
• 1176–1181 – Chemin ferré “stone-surfaced road” appears in Chrétien de Troyes.^[9]
• before 1233 – It means to put someone in irons.^[9][7]
• 1391 – Ferrer le chanvre is recorded in the register of the Châtelet.^[9]
• c. 1450 – The participle ferré is used for a wise, skilful person.^[9]
• c. 1462 – Se laisser ferrer appears in the Cent Nouvelles nouvelles.^[9]
• c. 1535 – First record of ferrer la mule.^[9]
• 1568 – Ambroise Paré writes of eau ferrée.^[9]
• 1828–1829 – Vidocq uses it for putting irons on a convict.^[9]
• 1851 – Voie ferrée “railway” is recorded.^[7]

Meanings

Verb

1. To fit or reinforce an object with iron or another metal: ferrer une roue, ferrer un bâton.^[11][9]
2. To shoe a horse, mule or other animal.^[11][3]
3. (angling) To strike, to set the hook in a fish that has bitten.^[11][1]
4. (dated) To put someone in irons.^[9]

Word family

• ferrure
• déferrer
• enferrer

Related words

• fer
• maréchal-ferrant
• Latin ferrum

Usage notes

The participle survives in voie ferrée “railway track” and réseau ferré “rail network”, and in être ferré sur une question “to be well versed in a subject”.^[7]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
3. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 473a
7. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p 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
10. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
11. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert