diable French · revision 15686

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=881, diaule (Sequence of Saint Eulalia)|origins=grc βάλλω}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /djabl/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /djɑbl/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Louisiana, also): /dʒɔb/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Louisiana, also): /dʒawb/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''diable''' ''m'' (plural diables)^(Wiktionary)

+ ''Diaule'' (881), ''diable'' (late 10th century), Old French also ''deable''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a very early, semi-learned borrowing from Christian Latin [[bor|la-ecc|diabolus|t=devil]],^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|3, 63b) from Church Greek [[grc|διάβολος|tr=diábolos]], in classical Greek “slanderer”,^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005) from [[m|grc|διαβάλλω|tr=diabállō|t=to throw across; to slander]], from [[m|grc|διά|tr=diá|t=across]] and [[m|grc|βάλλω|tr=bállō|t=to throw]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ The Latin word was borrowed throughout Romance: [[it|diavolo]], [[es|diablo]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Old French also used popular names, “aversier” “adversary” and “maufé” “ill-made”, partly to avoid the word.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Sequence of Saint Eulalia'' (881) has ''diaule'' for the Devil, and the ''Passion de Clermont'' (late 10th century) ''diable''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Figurative uses appear early: the ''Chanson de Roland'' calls enemies “vifs diables” (about 1100), and by 1611 a ''pauvre diable'' is a poor wretch.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) As an interjection it is found from the 12th century (''Porquoi deable?''), and as an adjective “devilish, mischievous” from 1220–1225 (''le plus diable des chats'', La Fontaine).^(TLFi)

+

+ Phrases include ''avoir le diable au corps'' (13th century), ''tirer le diable par la queue'' “to be hard up” (1694) and ''en diable'' “extremely” (Molière, 1665).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Objects named after it include a two-wheeled hand truck and a lever (1764), and the toy ''diable'' (1835) from which ''diabolo'' was formed (1907).^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 881 – ''Diaule'' (''Eulalia'').^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * late 10th century – ''Diable''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1100 – Figurative ''vifs diables'' (''Roland'').^(TLFi)

+ * mid-12th century – Interjection.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1524 – The euphemism ''diantre''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1611 – ''Pauvre diable''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1694 – ''Tirer le diable par la queue''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1764 – A hand truck.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|devil]];^(Petit Robert 2007) ''le diable'', the Devil.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(familiar)'' A fellow: ''un pauvre diable''; a rogue.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[m|en|hand truck]], a two-wheeled trolley.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # ''En diable'': extremely.^(TLFi)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # ''(dated)'' The deuce!^(Wiktionary) ''(intensifier)'' ''que diable!''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[diablement]]

+ * [[diablerie]]

+ * [[endiablé]]

+ * [[endiabler]]

+ * [[diantre]]

+ * [[diablesse]]

+ * [[diablotin]]

+ * [[diabolo]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[diabolique]]

+ * [[en|devil]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}