pencher

Pronunciation

• IPA: /pɑ̃.ʃe/^[1]

Forms

pencher^[1] Old French pengier (1265), then pencher (1283).^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Vulgar Latin *pendicō (“to lean, be inclined”), derived from Latin pendeō (“to hang”) (see pendre).^[3][4][5][6] Rey suggests that the Vulgar Latin verb was formed on an adjective *pendicus “sloping, inclined to one side”.^[2]

Compare Old Occitan pengar and Catalan penjar.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

In 1265 Aldebrandin de Sienne's Régime du corps uses pengier intransitively for something being tilted, out of its upright position.^[3][2]

Semantic evolution

As early as 1283 Philippe de Beaumanoir uses se pencher plus d'une partie que d'autre for a judge who favours one side; this figurative sense passed to the intransitive verb (Montaigne, 1588), and, from 1530 se pencher kept only the concrete sense “to lean over”.^[3][2] The 17th century added pencher à + infinitive “to tend to” (Corneille, 1645), the transitive “to draw, push towards” (Corneille, Le Cid, 1636) and pencher sur son déclin “to verge on decline”, uses now archaic or literary.^[3][2] Se pencher sur “to look into, take an interest in” is first found in Balzac in 1843.^[3][2]

The present participle became the noun penchant (1538), first “slope”, then “inclination, liking” (1647).^[2]

Timeline

• 1265 – Pengier “to be tilted”, Aldebrandin de Sienne.^[3]
• 1283 – Se pencher “to favour one side”, Beaumanoir.^[3]
• 1530 – Se pencher “to lean over”, Palsgrave.^[3][8]
• 1588 – Intransitive “to be inclined to a choice”, Montaigne.^[3]
• 1636 – Transitive “to draw towards”, Corneille.^[3]
• 1843 – Se pencher sur “to take an interest in”, Balzac.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. (intransitive) To lean, tilt, be out of the vertical: le mur penche.^[9][1]
2. (transitive) To tilt, tip, bend: pencher la tête.^[8][1]
3. Pencher pour, vers: to be inclined towards (an opinion, a choice); faire pencher la balance, to tip the balance.^[9][1]
4. Se pencher: to bend down, lean over: se pencher par la fenêtre.^[1][3]
5. Se pencher sur: to look into, examine, take an interest in (a question).^[1][2]

Word family

• penchant
• penchement

Related words

• pente
• pendre
• Latin pendeō

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 h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 8, 184b
7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert