préoccuper

Forms

préoccuper^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin praeoccupō (“to seize first, occupy beforehand”), which also meant to win over someone's mind in advance.^[2][3][4] The Latin verb is formed from prae- (“before”) and occupō (“to seize, occupy”), the source of occuper.^[3][5] The borrowing dates from the 13th century.^[3][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

In a 13th-century Bible manuscript it has the physical sense “to seize prematurely”.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

About 1355 Bersuire's translation of Livy uses it for “to occupy someone's mind strongly”, the sense that has lasted.^[2][7][8] In the 16th and 17th centuries the verb also meant to take hold of someone's mind beforehand, to prejudice (1560, Calvin), a revival of the Latin prefix's meaning that has since disappeared, and the Latin sense “to seize beforehand” was used too.^[2][3][7] The Académie illustrated it in 1694 with a judge who must not let himself be swayed in advance.^[8]

In the 19th century the verb took the nuance “to worry, trouble deeply” (1846, Flaubert), today its main sense.^[2][3][6] The reflexive se préoccuper de meant to be absorbed by concern for (1818, Maine de Biran) and then to take a keen interest in something (1834, Balzac), a use Littré condemned as an improper substitute for s'occuper.^[2][3] The present participle préoccupant “worrying” appears in 1860.^[2]

Timeline

• 13th century – A Bible manuscript uses it for “to seize prematurely”.^[2]
• c. 1355 – Bersuire uses it for occupying the mind.^[2][7]
• 1560 – Calvin uses it for prejudicing the mind beforehand.^[2][3]
• 1797 – Préoccupé describes a look that shows preoccupation.^[2]
• 1818 – Se préoccuper de “to be absorbed by concern for” is recorded.^[2][3]
• 1846 – Flaubert uses it for “to worry”.^[2]
• 1860 – Préoccupant “worrying” appears in the Goncourts' journal.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To worry, to trouble deeply: la santé de son père le préoccupe.^[6][2]
2. (dated) To occupy someone's mind entirely, to absorb.^[6][8]
3. (classical) To fill someone's mind in advance, to prejudice.^[8][5]
4. Se préoccuper de: to concern oneself with, to care about: elle ne se préoccupe guère du qu'en-dira-t-on.^[6][1]

Word family

• préoccupant
• préoccupation

Related words

• occuper
• Latin praeoccupō

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 n o 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
8. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse