intense

Forms

intense (plural intenses)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin intēnsus (“intense, violent”),^[2][3][4] the participle of intendō (“to stretch towards”) used as an adjective.^[2][3] The verb is formed from in- and tendō (“to stretch”).^[5][6] The GLLF describes the Late Latin word as a variant of the classical participle intentus.^[7] The same Latin verb gave entendre.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLFi's first record is from the early 14th century, in the Trésor attributed to Chapuis (printed with the Roman de la Rose), of a goodness “so intense”.^[2] Other sources put the first use in the 13th century: about 1240 according to Rey, and about 1265 (Jean de Meun) according to the GLLF, the Grand Robert and Bloch and Wartburg.^[3][7][5][4] The Anglo-Norman Dictionary has it, also as entense, from the second quarter of the 13th century.^[8]

Semantic evolution

After a few isolated uses, among them Oresme's in 1377, the adjective spread only in the 17th century, meaning “acting with force, exceeding the ordinary measure” (1641).^[2][3] It was then said of physical qualities and feelings (1752) and of sounds (1768), and in the 19th century of a disease with strong symptoms (1812).^[3] Today it is commonly used of anything sustained and lively, as in travail intense.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 1265 – Jean de Meun uses it of an extraordinary quality.^[7][4]
• early 14th century – First record in the TLFi, in the Trésor attributed to Chapuis.^[2]
• 1377 – Oresme writes of a swiftness that is intense ou forte.^[2]
• 1641 – Revived in the sense “acting strongly”, in a work of natural philosophy.^[2][3]
• 1740 – The derivative intensité is recorded.^[4]
• 1752 – Trévoux records it of physical qualities.^[3][7]
• 1812 – Used of a disease.^[3]
• 1837 – Intensément comes into use.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Acting with force, felt very strongly; exceeding the ordinary measure: froid intense, lumière intense.^[9][7]
2. Of a colour: very vivid.^[9][7]
3. Of traffic or activity: dense, sustained.^[9][3]
4. Of feelings or thought: deep, keen.^[9]

Word family

• intensif
• intensité
• intensément

Related words

• entendre
• tendre¹
• Latin intendō

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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 k l Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c d e f 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 Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert