hisser

Forms

hisser^[1] First the imperative inse ! (1552), then ysser (1573), hisser from 1636; the nasalized hinse ! is in Furetière (1690).^[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Middle Low German hissen (“to hoist”), a word of onomatopoeic formation; compare Middle Dutch hischen, hijschen.^{[2][4][5][1][6]} The TLFi takes the nasalized form hinser to imitate the dull sound of a rope being hauled.^[2] Compare Italian issare, Spanish izar and Portuguese izar.^[7][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Rabelais's Quart Livre (1552) has inse !, a command to haul something up; the verb ysser “to pull up, especially with a rope” is in Du Puys (1573).^[2][4][8]

Semantic evolution

The verb kept the sense of its source and is common in hisser le drapeau and hisser les couleurs.^[4] The interjection oh ! hisse !, from its imperative, is recorded in 1773 (hisse ! in 1701).^[4][3] Se hisser “to raise oneself with effort” is first found before 1794 in Florian, and figuratively “to rise” from the early 20th century.^[2][4] In the French of the Indian Ocean, sailors' uses have given it the senses “to pull”, “to catch” and “to throw”.^[4]

Timeline

• 1552 – Rabelais writes inse !.^[2][5]
• 1573 – Ysser in Du Puys.^[2][3]
• 1636 – The spelling hisser, in Monet.^[3]
• 1701 – Hisse ! in Furetière.^[3][4]
• 1773 – O hisse ! in Bourdé de Villehuet.^[3]
• before 1794 – Se hisser in Florian.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. (nautical) To hoist, to raise by means of a rope or a tackle: hisser les voiles, hisser les couleurs.^[9][2][1]
2. To pull up with effort: hisser un canapé jusqu'au cinquième étage.^[9][3]
3. Se hisser: to raise oneself with effort: se hisser sur un muret; figuratively, to rise to a higher rank.^[9][2][1]

Word family

• rehisser

Related words

• Middle Low German hissen
• Italian issare

Usage notes

Littré has a second hisser “to call by whistling”, from English to hiss, and judges the borrowing quite unnecessary.^[7] The interjection oh ! hisse ! accompanies a collective effort.^[9][4]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 16, 210a
7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert