refermer

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ʁə.fɛʁ.me/^[1]

Forms

refermer^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French re- + fermer.^[2][3][4][1] fermer continues Latin firmō (“to make firm, strengthen”), from firmus (“firm”), and first meant “to make firm, fortify”; the sense “to close” appears in the 12th century.^[5][6] Littré notes that the verb also had the sense of affermir.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Roman d'Eneas has it about 1130–1160 in the sense “to repair”;^[4][3][2] the modern sense “to close again” is in Chrétien de Troyes about 1175.^[4][3]

Semantic evolution

Villehardouin tells of defenders who could not les portes refremer in time, and a 14th-century text says a duke referma a castle, that is, rebuilt it.^[7] The pronominal se refermer meant “to grow firm again” in Perceforest (15th century); in the modern sense, of something that closes after opening, it is in La Fontaine (1678).^[4][7] The Académie recorded the verb in 1798.^[2]

Timeline

• c. 1130 – “To repair”, in Eneas.^[4]
• c. 1175 – “To close again”, in Chrétien de Troyes.^[4]
• 15th century – Se refermer “to grow firm again”.^[4]
• 1678 – Se refermer “to close”, in La Fontaine.^[4]
• 1798 – Recorded by the Académie.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To close or shut again (what was open): refermer la porte, refermer sa valise, refermer un livre.^[8][4][1]
2. Se refermer: to close (again); of a wound, to heal up.^[8][1]
3. Se refermer (figurative): to withdraw into oneself; of a face, to become closed, expressionless.^[8]

Related words

• fermer
• rouvrir

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 574a
7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert