réserve

Forms

réserve f (plural réserves)^[1]

Etymology

It is a deverbal noun from French réserver (“to reserve, keep back”), first found in 1342 as a legal term.^{[2][3][4][5][6]} The verb, recorded from the 12th century, was borrowed from Latin reservō (“to keep back, save”), formed with the intensive prefix re- on servō (“to keep, preserve”);^[4][7] in the early Middle Ages the Latin verb was already used in law for setting apart, in a contract, a right that could be invoked later.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record, in accounts of building work in Saintonge (1342), is a clause that modifies and limits a contract, a right kept back for the future.^[2][7]

Semantic evolution

From the legal clause came the general idea of restriction: sans réserve “without restriction” is found in Chastellain in the middle of the 15th century, and réserve for a restriction or exception in 1628.^[2][7] À la réserve de “except for” (1629) and à la réserve que “except that” (1671) are now archaic.^[2][7] Sous réserve appears in the Civil Code of 1804 and sous toute réserve in Nerval (1843);^[2] faire des réserves, at first to keep back a disagreement to be voiced later, is recorded in 1870 and now means to voice it.^[7][5] In law the word also named the share of an estate that the testator cannot freely dispose of (1636).^[2]

The idea of something kept for later gave en réserve (about 1460), vin de réserve and mettre en réserve in Ronsard (1550, 1555), and réserves, stores of goods or money, in Montaigne.^[2][7] In military use hommes de réserve is found in Calvin (1535) and corps de réserve in 1667; at the Revolution (1791) the reserve became the citizens liable to be called up who were no longer on active service, the source of réserviste (1872).^[2][7][4]

Places set apart followed: a forest kept for later felling (1765), a hunting ground reserved to its owner (Académie, 1798), the part of a library holding rare books (1854), a storeroom, and land reserved for indigenous peoples (1868, Jules Verne).^[2] The moral sense, discretion and restraint, is found in Madame de Sévigné in 1664.^[2] Réserve naturelle was recorded by the Académie in 1935.^[8][5]

Timeline

• 1342 – First recorded, for a restrictive clause in a contract.^[2]
• c. 1460 – Sans réserve and en réserve, in Chastellain.^[2][7]
• 1535 – Hommes de réserve in Calvin.^[2]
• 1550 – Vin de réserve in Ronsard.^[2]
• 1628 – “Restriction, exception”, in Stoer's dictionary.^[2]
• 1664 – Madame de Sévigné uses it for discretion and restraint.^[2]
• 1667 – Corps de réserve.^[2]
• 1791 – The réserve nationale of citizens liable to call-up.^[2]
• 1804 – Sous réserve in the Civil Code.^[2]
• 1868 – A territory reserved for the native population, in Jules Verne.^[2]
• 1872 – The derivative réserviste.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. (law) A restrictive clause added so as not to be bound by an obligation.^[9][2] Faire des réserves: to express doubts or reservations about something.^[9][2]
2. Sous réserve, sous réserve de: on condition, subject to, sous toutes réserves: without guarantee.^[9][10]
3. Sans réserve: without restriction, wholeheartedly: une confiance sans réserve.^[9]
4. (law) The share of an estate that the law reserves for certain heirs.^[9][2]
5. Discretion, restraint in speech and behaviour.^[9][2] Être, se tenir sur la réserve: to keep one's distance.^[9] Devoir de réserve: a civil servant's duty to express opinions with discretion.^[9][2]
6. A stock or supply kept for later use: des réserves de vivres, les réserves de pétrole.^[9][1] En réserve: set aside.^[9][1]
7. (military) Troops kept back to intervene when needed; the part of a country's forces that can be called up.^[9][1]
8. A storeroom; the part of a museum or library where items not on display are kept.^[9][1]
9. A protected area: réserve naturelle, réserve de chasse.^[9]
10. A reservation, land set aside for indigenous peoples.^[1][2]
11. (North America, bowling) A spare.^[1]

Word family

• réserviste

Related words

• réserver
• réservé
• réservoir
• Latin reservō

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, 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 c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 10, 295b
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)