regagner

Forms

regagner^[1] Old French regaaignier (about 1175); the modern spelling regagner is recorded in 1549, in Robert Estienne.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is formed from French re- + gagner.^[5][1][6] Bloch and Wartburg date it to the 12th century and list it among the derivatives of that verb,^[7] which comes from Frankish *waidanjan (“to get food, take booty”), of the family of German Weide (“pasture”).^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears as regaaignier in Chrétien de Troyes's Perceval (1181–1190), in regaaignier ses manbres “to recover the use of one's limbs”, meaning to get back what had been lost.^[5]

Semantic evolution

The sense “to get back what was lost” was used of money, ground and, in war, of territory.^[5][6] Amyot gives the sense “to go back to a place” in 1559, now perhaps the more common one.^[5][4] Regagner le temps perdu is in Voltaire (1768), and the figurative sense “to win back (someone's favour)” is dated 1654, in La Rochefoucauld.^[2] Regagner du terrain in a race or contest is recorded by Larousse in 1875, and figuratively by Littré in 1870.^[2]

The noun regain “renewal (of youth, vigour)” (1666) was formed from the verb under the influence of gain.^[4]

Timeline

• 1181–1190 – Regaaignier in Chrétien de Troyes's Perceval.^[5]
• 1549 – Robert Estienne has the spelling regagner.^[2][4]
• 1559 – Amyot uses it for “to go back to a place”.^[5][4]
• 1654 – La Rochefoucauld uses it for winning someone back.^[2]
• 1666 – The noun regain appears, in reguain de jeunesse.^[4]
• 1768 – Regagner le temps perdu in Voltaire.^[2]
• 1875 – Larousse records regagner du terrain.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To regain, get back or recover (what was lost): regagner sa mise, regagner le temps perdu.^[8][5]
2. To win back (someone's trust or favour): regagner la confiance de quelqu'un.^[8][2]
3. Regagner du terrain: to make up ground, to recover an advantage.^[2][6]
4. To go back to, return to (a place): regagner son bureau, regagner ses pénates.^[8][1]

Related words

• gagner
• regain
• gain

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f g 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
6. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert