bloquer French · revision 15806

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1450, Gréban}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /blɔ.ke/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''bloquer'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[bloc]] with the verb ending [[-er]].^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|15/1, 165b) The noun “bloc” is borrowed from [[dum|blok|t=felled trunk]] or [[gmh|block|t=trunk, block]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary) The military sense “to blockade” is due to [[blocus]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Arnoul Gréban's ''Mystère de la Passion'' (about 1450) uses it for strengthening a wall with rubble;^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989) Villon uses it in the same period.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In 16th-century falconry it was said of a hawk hovering over a partridge, and, from 1680 it was a printing term for putting a turned letter in place of a missing one.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873) D'Aubigné uses it from 1578 for blockading a town, under the influence of ''blocus'';^(GLLF 1989)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) the derivative ''débloquer'' follows in 1588.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ From the idea of shutting in came the general sense “to stop from moving, jam”: wheels, a door, a road blocked by snow, a ball stopped in football.^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007) Figuratively it means “to freeze” (credit, a bank account, prices), and ''bloquer'' also means “to group together” (''vote bloqué'').^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007) In psychology ''bloqué'' describes a person inhibited by a mental block,^(Petit Robert 2007) and of a computer program ''se bloquer'' is “to freeze”.^(Wiktionary) The verb was borrowed into [[de|blockieren]] and [[es|bloquear]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1450 – “To fill with rubble”, in Gréban.^(TLFi)

+ * 16th century – A falconry term.^(TLFi)

+ * 1578 – “To blockade”, in d'Aubigné.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1588 – ''Débloquer''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1680 – A printing term, in Richelet.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|block]], obstruct; to stop from moving, jam: ''bloquer une porte'', ''route bloquée par la neige''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(sports)'' To stop (the ball).^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # To [[m|en|freeze]] (credit, prices, an account).^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To group together: ''bloquer ses jours de congé''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # ''(dated)'' To [[m|en|blockade]] (a town or port).^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873)

+ # ''(psychology)'' To inhibit, ''être bloqué'': to have a mental block.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(reflexive)'' To jam; of a computer, to freeze.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[blocage]]

+ * [[bloqueur]]

+ * [[débloquer]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[bloc]]

+ * [[blocus]]

+ * [[en|block]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In Belgian French ''bloquer'' (1911) means “to swot, cram for exams”, a separate word from [[nl|blokken|t=to work hard]]; hence ''la bloque'' “exam revision” and ''un bloqueur''.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}