reverie English · revision 1548

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1350}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈɹɛvəɹi/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|reverie]], [[m|enm|ryvori|t=wild conduct, revelry]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(MED) [[bor|fro|reverie]], [[m|fro|resverie|t=revelry, raving, delirium]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from [[m|fro|rever]], [[m|fro|resver|t=to dream, wander, rave]] (modern [[fr|rêver]]),^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) of uncertain origin,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) also the source of [[rave]].^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966)^(Skeat 1911) The modern sense was reborrowed in the 17th century from French [[m|fr|rêverie]].^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(Weekley 1921)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Wanton or wild conduct, revelry, frolic (about 1350 in Barnhart and the MED, and in Chaucer about 1390).^(Barnhart 1995)^(MED)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle English the word meant wild delight, wantonness, violent abuse and anger,^(MED)^(OED 1989)^(Hoad 1986) and seems to have been confused with [[revelry]].^(Weekley 1921) These senses died out, and the word was readopted from French in the 17th century^(Weekley 1921)^(Etymonline) in the senses “a fanciful or impractical notion” (1653)^(OED 1989)^(Hoad 1986) and “a fit of abstracted musing, a daydream” (1657).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995) Etymonline suggests this reborrowing is why the word was never fully naturalized in the spelling ''revery''.^(Etymonline) In music a ''reverie'' is an instrumental piece of dreamy character.^(RHWU)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1350 – wild conduct, revelry.^(Barnhart 1995)^(MED)

+ * c. 1400 – violent or rude language (obsolete).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1653 – a fanciful or impractical notion.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1654 – first date in Merriam-Webster.^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1657 – a daydream; abstracted musing.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1880 – verb, to indulge in reveries.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A state of dreamy, abstracted musing; daydreaming.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A [[daydream]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+ # A fanciful, visionary or impractical idea.^(RHWU)^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+ # ''(music)'' An instrumental composition of a dreamy character.^(RHWU)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[rave]]

+ * [[revelry]]

+ * [[daydream]]

+ * [[brown study]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}