feinte French · revision 16041

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1223, Gautier de Coinci}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /fɛ̃t/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''feinte''' ''f'' (plural feintes)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the feminine past participle of [[feindre]] used as a noun,^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|3, 553b) from [[la|fingō|alt=fingere|t=to shape; to invent; to pretend]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Etymonline) Compare Old Spanish and [[it|finta]] and [[pro|fenha]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Gautier de Coinci (about 1223) has ''fables et faintes'', a poetic invention, a sense used until the 17th century.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Before 1544 (Marot) it was the act of giving an appearance contrary to the truth (''parler sans feinte''), and Marguerite de Navarre used it for a manoeuvre to mislead someone.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873) The sense “deceptive move” became a fencing term in 1680 (Richelet), then a term of military tactics and other sports (a boxer's or footballer's feint), and in the early 20th century a general word for “trick”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) From it came ''feinter'' (1859 in sport, “to trick”, 1931) and ''feinteur'' (1924).^(DHLF 1992) English ''feint'' was taken from French in the 1670s, and as a fencing term in the 1680s.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1223 – “Fiction”, in Gautier de Coinci.^(TLFi)

+ * Before 1544 – “Pretence”, in Marot.^(TLFi)

+ * 1670s – English ''feint''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1680 – In fencing, in Richelet.^(TLFi)

+ * 1859 – ''Feinter'' in sport.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * Early 20th century – “Trick”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1931 – ''Feinter'' “to trick”.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(literary)'' Pretence, dissimulation: ''parler sans feinte''.^(Larousse)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(sport, military)'' A [[m|en|feint]], dummy.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(familiar)'' A trick, ruse: ''faire une feinte à qqn''.^(Larousse)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(textiles)'' A flaw where the weft is missing.^(Larousse)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[feinter]]

+ * [[feinteur]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[feindre]]

+ * [[feint]]

+ * [[fiction]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Feinte'' is also the twaite shad (''alose feinte''), so called because it resembles the shad.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}