imbiber

Forms

imbiber^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin imbibō (“to drink in, absorb, become imbued with”),^[2][3] formed from in- (“in, into”) and bibō (“to drink”).^[3][4][5] The French verb was first used in the past participle.^[2][3][6] The Latin verb is also the source of emboire, its doublet.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The past participle imbibé is first found in 1478, in Nicolas Panis's French translation of the Guidon, meaning “that has soaked into something”, said of a liquid.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The reflexive s'imbiber (about 1500) and then the transitive verb (1555) came to mean to soak something with a liquid, while from the 17th century the verb could also have the liquid itself as subject.^[3] In the 18th century it was used figuratively, like imprégner.^[3][4]

In familiar French s'imbiber means to drink a great deal (recorded in 1873, probably earlier), and imbibé means drunk.^[3][2][7]

Timeline

• 1478 – The past participle appears in a translation of the Guidon.^[2]
• c. 1500 – The reflexive s'imbiber is recorded.^[3]
• 1555 – The infinitive is first found, meaning “absorb a liquid”.^[2]
• 1694 – The Académie records the sense “soak deeply”, said of a liquid.^[4]
• 1873 – Larousse records s'imbiber “drink heavily”.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To soak or saturate something with water or another liquid: imbiber un coton d'alcool.^[7][5]
2. Of a liquid: to penetrate a body or material deeply.^[4][5]
3. S'imbiber: to absorb a liquid.^[7][5]
4. (familiar) S'imbiber: to drink to excess;^[7][3] imbibé means drunk.^[7][3]

Related words

• imbibition
• emboire
• boire
• Latin imbibō

References

1. ^ a b c 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 h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert