raccompagner

Forms

raccompagner^[1] Old French racompaigner “to unite” (1265).^[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from French r- + accompagner.^[4][2][5][1] Old French already had the verb racompaigner in the sense “to unite, bring together”, especially in Flanders and in Normandy and Picardy; the modern verb takes up that old formation.^[4][2][3][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

In its modern sense it is first found in 1877, in Zola's L'Assommoir.^[4][5][6]

Semantic evolution

It means to go with someone who is going back to where they came from, like reconduire, and is now in common use.^[6][4] The GLLF dates it to the Larousse of 1907, noting that it was used from the end of the 19th century in the regional French of French-speaking Switzerland; the Grand Robert has 1892.^[3][2]

Timeline

• 1265 – Old French racompaigner “to unite” is recorded.^[2][3]
• 1877 – Zola uses raccompagner in L'Assommoir.^[4][5][6]
• 1907 – The Larousse records it.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. (transitive) To see someone back home or to the door, to walk or drive someone back: Je l'ai raccompagnée jusqu'à la gare.^[5][4][1]

Related words

• accompagner
• compagnon

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
4. ^ a b c d e f 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
5. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert