fracas

Pronunciation

• IPA: /fʁa.ka/^[1]
• IPA: /fʁa.kɑ/^[1]

Forms

fracas m (invariable)^[1]

Etymology

The TLFi takes it as a back-formation from the verb fracasser, like tracas beside tracasser, rather than a loan of Italian fracasso;^[2] Scheler and Littré also derived it from the verb.^[3][4] Bloch and Wartburg, the Grand Robert, the GLLF and Hatzfeld treat it as borrowed from Italian fracasso (“crash, uproar”), itself derived from fracassare (“to smash”), and Rey leaves both possibilities open.^{[5][6][7][8][9]} The verb fracasser was borrowed in 1475 from the Italian verb, recorded from the late 13th century, which was probably formed by crossing Latin frangō (“to break”) with quassō (“to shake, shatter”), the frequentative of quatiō (“to shake”).^[9][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The GLLF and Hatzfeld date the first record to 1475, ce train et fracas in the chronicles of the canons of Neuchâtel, with the sense “action of breaking”;^[7][8] the TLFi gives Cotgrave's dictionary of 1611 as the first record, where it means both “breaking” and “great noise”.^[2][10]

Semantic evolution

The first sense, “violent breaking”, is now dated;^[6] Brantôme in the 16th century used faire un fracas de navire for a shipwreck.^[6][11][9] A 17th-century sense “brawl” has also gone, but it survives in the phrase avec perte et fracas “abruptly, unceremoniously”, found from 1898.^[9][12] The usual modern sense, the loud noise of things crashing or breaking, is recorded from 1678 in La Fontaine.^[9][7] Figuratively it meant a noisy bustle (1661, Molière) and the stir made by a person or thing that draws attention (1665), now literary; the Académie of 1694 already notes that a man may make un grand fracas dans le monde.^[9][7][13]

English took the word as English fracas in 1727.^[14]

Timeline

• 1475 – Fracas “breaking” appears in the chronicles of Neuchâtel.^[7][8]
• 1611 – Cotgrave glosses it “violent breaches, wracks, havoc, hurly-burly”.^[10][2]
• 1661 – Molière uses it for a noisy bustle.^[7][9]
• 1665 – Quinault uses it for a stir that draws attention.^[7]
• 1678 – La Fontaine uses it for the noise of something crashing.^[7][9]
• 1727 – English borrows the word.^[14]
• 1898 – Avec perte et fracas is recorded.^[12][9]

Meanings

Noun

1. A loud, violent crash, the noise of something breaking or colliding: le fracas des vagues.^[15][16]
2. A noisy bustle or tumult: le fracas de la rue.^[16][17]
3. À grand fracas: with much noise, so as to cause a sensation.^[15][16]
4. Avec perte et fracas: abruptly, without ceremony.^[15][18]
5. (medicine) A fracture with several bone fragments and damage to the surrounding tissue.^[15]

Related words

• fracasser
• fracassant
• tracas
• casser
• Italian fracasso
• English fracas

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c 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. ^ Scheler, Auguste (1888), Dictionnaire d'étymologie française d'après les résultats de la science moderne, 3rd ed., Brussels: Schepens; Paris: Vieweg
4. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
5. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d e f g h Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b c Hatzfeld, Adolphe; Darmesteter, Arsène; Thomas, Antoine (1890–1900), Dictionnaire général de la langue française du commencement du XVIIe siècle jusqu'à nos jours, Paris: Delagrave
9. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ a b Cotgrave, Randle (1611), A Dictionarie of the French and English Tongues, London: Adam Islip
11. ^ Huguet, Edmond (1925–1967), Dictionnaire de la langue française du seizième siècle, 7 vols., Paris: Champion / Didier
12. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
13. ^ Académie française (1694), Le Dictionnaire de l'Académie françoise, 1st ed., Paris: Coignard
14. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
15. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
16. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
17. ^ Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
18. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)