refréner

Forms

refréner^[1] Also spelled réfréner.^[2][3][4] The second é becomes è before a mute syllable (je refrène), except in the future and conditional.^[5]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin refrēnō (“to hold back with the bit, tame, master”),^[2][6] formed from re-, here intensive, and frēnō (“to bridle”), from frēnum (“bit, bridle”).^[6][7][8] The French word for the bit itself is frein.^[6]

It displaced the Old French synonym refraindre (“to restrain”) (about 1150), which came from Vulgar Latin *refrangō, Classical refringō (“to break”);^[2][1] Littré notes that the older verb was close in meaning to this one and easily confused with it.^[5]

Cognate with Old Occitan refrenar, Spanish refrenar and Italian raffrenare.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in the Cambridge Psalter (first half of the 12th century), with an inanimate object: refrenanz le suen de la mer, “stilling the roar of the sea”, translating Latin compescens sonitum maris.^[2][7]

Semantic evolution

The verb was taken over with the Latin word's figurative sense.^[6] Between 1160 and 1174 Wace used it with a person as object, “to repress”, and about 1174–1176 Guernes de Pont-Sainte-Maxence has the reflexive soi refrener de s'ire, “to hold back one's anger”.^[2] Later medieval writers applied it to the heart, to one's tongue and to desires.^[5]

In modern French it means to put a check on a feeling or an impulse.^[3][7] The physical sense, to slow or stop a movement, is rare.^[2] The noun of action refrènement (13th century) was very rare before the 19th century.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 1120 – The Cambridge Psalter uses it of the sea.^[7][6][2]
• c. 1150 – The older verb refraindre “to repress” is recorded in the Roman de Thèbes.^[2]
• 1160–1174 – Wace uses it with a person as object.^[2]
• 1174–1176 – Guernes de Pont-Sainte-Maxence has the reflexive use.^[2]
• 13th century – The noun refrènement appears.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To curb or restrain a feeling or an impulse, to keep it in check: Il a refréné son envie de rire.^[3][1][7]
2. (pronominal) To hold oneself back, to control oneself.^[3]
3. (rare) To slow or stop a movement.^[2]

Word family

• refrènement

Related words

• frein
• freiner
• Latin refrēnō

Usage notes

Both spellings are accepted; the Grand Robert gives the pronunciation with /ʁə/ as dated and /ʁe/ as current.^[4]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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 Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 775b