relâcher

Forms

relâcher^[1] Old French relaschier (about 1155, Wace) and relachier (1269–1278, Jean de Meun); the spelling relâcher dates from the 16th century.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from French re- + lâcher, in Old French relaschier.^[3][2][4][5] The Grand Robert and the Petit Robert instead derive it from Latin relaxō (“to loosen, release”),^[6][7] and Wiktionary compares the Latin verb.^[1] The simple verb comes from Late Latin laxicō (“to loosen”), from laxō.^[4]

Cognate with Occitan relaxar, Spanish relajar and Italian rilassare.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record, in the Livre des Rois (about 1170), is in the sense “to loosen, ease”: the Philistines hope that God may relascher sa main, which lies so heavy on them.^[3] Wace already has relaschier about 1155 for “to give up (an undertaking)”.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

Until the classical period the verb meant “to remit (a penalty), forgive (a sin), give up (an action)”.^[5][6] From the 12th century it also meant “to slacken, let up in (an effort)”, as in relâcher son attention.^[5][3]

“To set (someone) free” is found in Jean de Meun's part of the Roman de la Rose (1269–1278), and in this sense relâcher pushed back the simple verb lâcher.^[3][5] The concrete sense “to make less tight” was applied to bonds, and in physiology from Ambroise Paré (about 1560) on to the muscles and the bowels.^[5][2] In sailing, used without an object, it means “to put into port” (1580, Montaigne).^[3][5]

The reflexive se relâcher meant “to digress” in 1230 and “to rest” in the 13th century, then took on every sense of the active verb: “to become slack” (1580), “to become less strict” (1588) and “to weaken” (1633).^[3][5]

Timeline

• c. 1155 – Wace uses relaschier for “to give up”.^[2][5]
• c. 1170 – The Livre des Rois has it for “to loosen, ease”.^[3]
• 1269–1278 – Jean de Meun uses relachier for “to set free”.^[3]
• c. 1560 – Paré uses it in physiology.^[2][5]
• 1580 – Montaigne uses it intransitively of a ship putting into port.^[3]
• 1588 – Montaigne has se relâcher “to become less strict”.^[3]
• 1647 – Descartes writes relâcher quelque chose de “to reduce something by”.^[3][5]
• 1835 – The Académie records relâcher l'intestin.^[2][7]

Meanings

Verb

1. (transitive) To make less taut or less tight, to slacken or loosen.^[7][3]
2. (physiology) To relax (the muscles); to loosen (the bowels).^[7][3]
3. (figurative) To let (attention, discipline, effort) weaken or become less strict.^[7][3]
4. To release, set free (a prisoner or hostage).^[7][1]
5. (reflexive) se relâcher: to become slack; to grow less strict or less zealous.^[7][3]
6. (intransitive, nautical) To put into port, make a stop.^[7][3]

Related words

• lâcher
• relâche
• relâchement
• relaxer
• Latin relaxō

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q 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
4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette