planquer

Forms

planquer^[1]

Etymology

It is from French planter, altered in slang;^[2][3][4][1] Villon's jargon ballads (1455) already use the older verb in the sense “to put, hide”.^[2][4] In the Coquillards' jargon of 1455, plant was a fake ingot and planteur a swindler who passed such ingots.^[2][3] The English verb plant likewise meant “to hide stolen goods” in thieves' cant.^[2][3] The change of ⟨t⟩ to ⟨qu⟩ is perhaps due to crossing with plaquer “to apply, put”, according to the TLFi and the DHLF;^[2][3] the Robert dictionaries state the influence of that verb plainly.^[5][6] The FEW files it under Latin plantō (“to plant”).^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1790 in Le Rat du Châtelet, meaning “to hide” according to the TLFi, or “to throw away quickly, get rid of” according to the Robert dictionaries and the GLLF.^[2][5][8][6]

Semantic evolution

The sense “to hide” is clearly attested in 1821 in Ansiaume's glossary of the slang of the Brest convict prison, which also has se planquer.^[2][8] The verb kept this sense, first in thieves' slang and then in familiar speech.^[3] In police slang it was used intransitively for keeping watch (1846);^[3] se planquer meant hiding to spy (1843), then hiding and taking cover from danger (1883), especially to avoid military service.^[8][3] The past participle planqué became a noun in 1922 (Montherlant) for a soldier posted away from the fighting.^[2] The verb is also used of putting money aside, from the idea of hiding one's earnings.^[3]

Timeline

• 1455 – Villon uses planter in the sense “to put, hide”.^[2][4]
• 1790 – Planquer appears in Le Rat du Châtelet.^[2][4]
• 1821 – Ansiaume records planquer and se planquer in Brest convict slang.^[2]
• 1843 – Se planquer is used for hiding to spy.^[8][6]
• 1846 – Police slang uses it intransitively for keeping watch.^[3]
• 1883 – Se planquer is used for taking cover from danger.^[3][8]
• 1922 – Un planqué appears in Montherlant.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. (familiar) To hide something, to put it somewhere safe: planquer ses bijoux sous le lit.^{[6][9][10][2]}
2. (familiar) To hide someone so that the police cannot find them.^[8][6]
3. Se planquer: to hide, to take cover from danger or an unpleasant situation.^[6][9][3]
4. (police slang, intransitive) To keep watch while hidden, to be on a stakeout.^[6][9][10]

Related words

• planter
• plaquer

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m 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 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. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 9, 21a
8. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b c Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
10. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)