casser French · revision 16065

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1100, Chanson de Roland|origins=la quatiō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ka.se/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /kɑ.se/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''casser'''^(Wiktionary)

+ [[fro|quasser]] (until the 13th century), ''casser'' from about 1160 (''Eneas'').^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|quasser]], [[inh|la|quassō|t=to shake hard; to batter, break]],^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|2, 1429a) the frequentative of [[la|quatiō|t=to shake]], formed on its past participle “quassus” “shattered”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005) For the legal sense “to annul”, the TLFi and Wiktionary point to the meeting of “quassare” with [[la-lat|cassō|alt=cassāre|t=to annul]], from “cassus” “void, empty”.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ Compare [[pro|cassar]], Italian “squassare” “to shake” and [[es|cansar|t=to tire]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) The word was more used in the north of Gallo-Romance than in the south.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) has ''Quassét son haume'', he smashed his helmet: “to break into pieces”.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 12th century it was also to break bones (''li os lui sont quassé''), whence, much later, ''casser la tête'' (1538), ''se casser la tête'' “to rack one's brains” (Mme de Sévigné, 1677), ''casser les pieds'' “to bore” (1890) and ''casser la gueule'' (Flaubert, 1856).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873) About 1170 (Chrétien de Troyes) ''quasser'' meant “to weaken”, whence ''voix cassée'' (Montaigne) and ''un homme cassé'' (Corneille, 1636).^(TLFi)

+

+ From the early 13th century it meant to annul (a judgement, a will, 1549; a privilege, Commynes), whence ''cassation'' (1413), and, from 1549 to dismiss an officer (''casser aux gages'').^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Familiar phrases include ''casser la croûte'' (1798), ''payer les pots cassés'' (1808), ''casser du sucre sur le dos de qqn'' (1866), ''casser sa pipe'' “to die” (1856), ''à tout casser'' (before 1866), ''se casser'' “to clear off” (1908) and ''casser les prix'' (1957).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) In current speech ''casser'' is more usual than ''briser'' for concrete breaking, except in Quebec.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – ''Quassét'' in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1160 – The form ''casser'' in ''Eneas''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1170 – “To weaken”, in Chrétien de Troyes.^(TLFi)

+ * Early 13th century – “To annul”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1413 – ''Cassation''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1549 – ''Casser qqn aux gages''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1677 – ''Se casser la tête'' in Mme de Sévigné.^(TLFi)

+ * 1798 – ''Casser la croûte''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1856 – ''Casser sa pipe''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1908 – ''Se casser'' “to clear off”.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|break]]: ''casser un verre'', ''casser une branche'', ''se casser la jambe''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(law)'' To annul, quash: ''casser un jugement''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # To dismiss, demote: ''casser un officier''.^(TLFi)^(BHVF)

+ # To break up (with someone).^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To break: ''le fil a cassé''.^(Larousse)

+ # Familiar phrases: ''casser la croûte'': to have a bite, ''casser les pieds'': to bore stiff, ''casser sa pipe'': to kick the bucket, ''à tout casser'': fantastic; at the most.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(reflexive, familiar)'' ''Se casser'': to clear off, ''se casser la tête'': to rack one's brains.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[casse]]

+ * [[casse-noisette]]

+ * [[casse-noix]]

+ * [[cassation]]

+ * [[casseur]]

+ * [[cassis]]

+ * [[cassure]]

+ * [[incassable]]

+ * [[casse-tête]]

+ * [[casse-cou]]

+ * [[casse-pieds]]

+ * [[cassonade]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cas]]

+ * [[secouer]]

+ * [[concasser]]

+ * [[fracasser]]

+ * [[la|quassō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}