ivre

Forms

ivre (plural ivres)^[1] Old French yvre, Anglo-Norman also iver and yver.^[1][2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Latin ēbrius (“drunk”), which came into French by oral transmission.^[3][4][5][6] The initial ⟨i⟩ is due to the semivowel /j/ of the Latin ending, which also explains Old Occitan ibre and ivre.^[3][7][5] The Latin word was the opposite of sōbrius (“not drunk”), the source of sobre.^[4][8] Littré reports the old Latin derivation from a phrase meaning “out of measure”, but found it doubtful.^[9]

Cognate with Italian ebbro, Catalan ebri, Spanish ebrio and Portuguese ébrio.^[8][9]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Pèlerinage de Charlemagne (about 1140) uses it of a person whose mind is clouded by wine.^[3][10]

Semantic evolution

Like Latin ebrius, the adjective was used first in its literal sense, which is now formal except in ivre mort (1704); everyday French says saoul or familiar words such as rond and bourré.^[4] The Gallo-Romance dialects likewise prefer more expressive words such as plein and soûl.^[5][3]

It also took over the figurative use of the Latin word: in 1180 Aimon de Varennes wrote Tu ais le cuer d'amor tot ivre (“your heart is all drunk with love”).^[3][4] From 1671 it described a person carried away by an idea or an activity.^[4][10]

Timeline

• c. 1140 – The Pèlerinage de Charlemagne uses it in the literal sense.^[3][10]
• 1180 – Aimon de Varennes's Florimont uses it of a person carried away by passion.^[3][4]
• c. 1530 – Clément Marot writes ivre comme une soupe.^[10][9]
• 1671 – It describes a person excited by an idea.^[4]
• 1704 – Ivre mort is recorded in the Dictionnaire de Trévoux.^[10][4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (formal) Drunk, intoxicated by alcohol.^[1][3][8]
2. Ivre mort: dead drunk, so drunk as to lose consciousness.^[8][9][1]
3. (figurative) Dizzy or overwhelmed: ivre de bonheur.^[8][1]
4. (figurative) Carried away by a strong passion or emotion.^[8][9]

Word family

• ivresse
• enivrer
• enivrement

Related words

• ivraie
• ivrogne
• ébriété
• Latin ēbrius

Usage notes

Littré explains the popular ivre comme une soupe “very drunk” by the soup bread that soaks up the broth.^[9]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
3. ^ 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
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 c 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. 3, 201a
7. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b c d e f Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
10. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse