remontrer

Forms

remontrer^[1] Old French remostrer (about 1175), remoutrer (13th century), Middle French remoustrer (late 14th century).^[2]

Etymology

It is formed from French re- + montrer.^[3][2][4][5] Wiktionary instead takes it from Latin remōnstrō.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

About 1175 the Chronique des ducs de Normandie uses it in the sense “to set out, show, make known”.^[3][2]

Semantic evolution

The sense “to show, make known” declined in favour of the simple montrer.^[2] Through uses stressing that one sets out to someone, with authority, what one reproaches them with (late 14th century, Froissart), the verb moved away from montrer:^[2][3] it was used for the remonstrances addressed to the king (1465, and absolutely about 1610), and in 1656 Molière used remontrer à for giving lessons to someone, showing oneself superior.^[3][2] The construction en remontrer à is recorded about 1803.^[3][2]

The link with montrer was renewed by the sense “to show again” (1555, Ronsard), more frequent in the pronominal se remontrer (1571).^[3][2]

Timeline

• c. 1175 – First record, as remostrer, in the Chronique des ducs de Normandie.^[3][2]
• late 14th century – Froissart uses se remoustrer “to show oneself” and the sense “point out someone's faults”.^[3]
• 1465 – A royal ordinance uses it for remonstrances to the king.^[3]
• 1555 – Ronsard uses it for “to show again”.^[3]
• 1571 – Ronsard has se remonstrer “to show oneself again”.^[3]
• 1656 – Molière writes les jeunes enfans remontrent aux vieillards.^[3]
• 1718 – The Académie records the proverb c'est gros Jean qui remonstre à son Curé.^[3]
• c. 1803 – En remontrer à quelqu'un appears.^[3][2]

Meanings

Verb

1. (dated or literary) To point out to someone their faults or wrongs.^[6][5][7]
2. (history) To make remonstrances to the king, said of the Parlement.^[6][3]
3. En remontrer à quelqu'un: to show oneself superior to someone, to lecture them: elle prétend en remontrer à son professeur.^[6][3]
4. To show again: remontrez-moi cette photo.^[6][7]
5. (pronominal) se remontrer: to appear again in public or before someone.^[3][6]
6. (hunting) To give notice of the animal that has passed.^[7]

Word family

• remontrance

Related words

• montrer
• démontrer

Usage notes

The proverb c'est Gros-Jean qui en remontre à son curé, of an ignorant person who lectures a more learned one, is recorded in this form in 1875; the Académie had c'est gros Jean qui remonstre à son Curé in 1718.^[3]

References

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