Etymologically
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franchir

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /fʁɑ̃.ʃiʁ/[1]

Forms

franchir[1]

Etymology

It is from French franc (“free”) + -ir.[2][1][3] The adjective comes from the name of the Franks, from Frankish *frank.[3][4] Compare Old Occitan franquir.[5]

The original sense was “to set free”; the modern sense comes from “to free oneself of, get clear of”, hence “to get past an obstacle”.[3][6] Bloch and Wartburg and the Grand Robert compare the use of Latin līberō (“to free”) for crossing a threshold or a river freely.[3][6][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

About 1170, in Béroul's Tristan, it means to set free; the same years give franchir qqc. à qqn, to grant something as a free possession.[2][7]

Semantic evolution

The sense “to free, enfranchise” was usual until the 15th century, also in Anglo-Norman, where it meant to grant someone a franchise.[3][8] One could franchir une rente, redeem it and so rid oneself of it;[5] Littré sees in this the passage to franchir un fossé, to get rid of a ditch by jumping it, one of the rare cases of an abstract sense turning concrete.[5]

The sense “to pass over an obstacle by jumping or climbing” appears in Perceforest (first half of the 14th century), and “to go beyond a limit” in Montaigne (1580).[2][7] Franchir le pas is recorded before 1615, and franchir le Rubicon, after Caesar, in 1872.[7][9] In sailors' language franchir une pompe means to pump out all the water.[9][7] Derivatives include affranchir (13th century) and infranchissable (1792).[3]

Timeline

  • c. 1170 – Béroul: “to set free”.[2]
  • 1245 – Franchir qqn de qqc., to free someone of a charge.[2]
  • 14th century – Perceforest: to jump over an obstacle.[2][7]
  • 1580 – Montaigne: to go beyond a limit.[2][7]
  • Before 1615 – Franchir le pas.[7]
  • 1690 – Furetière: franchir l'eau, of pumping a ship dry.[7]
  • 1792 – Infranchissable.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To pass over (an obstacle) by jumping or climbing; to clear: franchir une barrière.[9][1]
  2. To cross (a line, a river, a border); of a bridge, to span.[1][9]
  3. To cover (a distance) or get through (a period of time).[1][7]
  4. (figurative) To overcome (a difficulty): franchir les barrières sociales.[9]
  5. Franchir le pas: to take the decisive step, franchir le Rubicon: to make an irrevocable decision.[9][1]
  6. (nautical) Franchir une pompe: to pump out all the water.[9][7]
  7. (obsolete) To set free.[7]

Word family

  • affranchir
  • franchissement
  • franc
  • franchise
  • Frankish *frank

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  4. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 15/2, 163b
  5. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  6. ^ a b 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 i j k Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  8. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert