main French · revision 16304

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=late 10th century, Passion de Clermont|origins=la manus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /mɛ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''main''' ''f'' (plural mains)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|man]] (about 980), [[m|fro|main]] and [[m|fro|mein]].^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|man]], [[inh|la|manus|t=hand; force, power; handwriting; band of men]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|6/1, 285a) Besides the hand itself, Latin “manus” stood for force and authority (of the husband, of the head of the household), for work and combat, for handwriting and for a body of troops.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) Rey relates this Italic word to an Indo-European root also seen in [[non|mund|t=hand]], [[ang|mund]] and [[goh|munt|t=hand; protection]], Wiktionary traces it to [[itc-pro|*manus]] and, more doubtfully, to a root [[ine-pro|*(s)meh₂-|t=to beckon]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Cognate with [[ro|mână]], [[it|mano]], [[oc|man]], [[ca|mà]], [[es|mano]] and [[pt|mão]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in the ''Passion de Clermont'' (late 10th century): ''Pilaz sas mans dunques laved'' “Pilate then washed his hands”; in the same text the laying on of hands on the sick appears.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The many early extensions reflect the importance of the hand in human activity.^(DHLF 1992) It meant a side of the body (''main a main'' “side by side”, about 1170), a sense now alive only in ''à main gauche'', ''à main droite''; a measure (about 1375); and the person who does the work (1377), whence ''petite main'' “apprentice seamstress” (1910).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ As a symbol of authority it appears in ''avoir en main'' (1155), ''main de justice'' (1385) and ''haut la main'' (1670), earlier ''haut à la main'' (1657), first meaning “high-handedly”; as a symbol of possession in ''prendre en main'' (about 1160) and ''entre les mains de'' (1306).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Work gave ''mettre ses mains à'' (1176), ''de main de maître'' (1539) and the sense “handwriting” (1523); fighting gave ''main à main'' (about 1208), ''à main armée'' (1466), ''venir aux mains'' (1559), ''faire main basse'' (1611) and ''homme de main'' (1640).^(TLFi) Gestures gave ''mains jointes'' in prayer and submission (about 1100) and ''donner la main'' “to marry” (1629, Corneille).^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 10th century – ''Man'' in the ''Passion de Clermont''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1050 – The form ''main'' in the ''Vie de saint Alexis''.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1155 – ''Avoir en main'' “to command”, in Wace.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1225–1230 – ''A main senestre'' “on the left”, in Guillaume de Lorris.^(TLFi)

+ * 1385 – ''Main de justice''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1523 – “Handwriting”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1611 – ''Faire main basse'' in Cotgrave.^(TLFi)

+ * 1670 – ''Haut la main'' in Molière.^(TLFi)

+ * 1910 – ''Petite main'' “apprentice seamstress”.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|hand]]: ''la main droite'', ''serrer la main de quelqu'un''.^(Le Robert)^(Larousse)

+ # The hand as an instrument of work or skill: ''travailler de ses mains'', ''de main de maître''.^(Larousse)^(TLFi)

+ # Authority, control: ''avoir la haute main sur'', ''prendre en main''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # A side, direction: ''à main droite'', on the right.^(DHLF 1992)

+ # [[m|en|handwriting|alt=Handwriting]].^(TLFi)^(AND)

+ # ''(card games)'' A hand; the deal.^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[m|en|quire]] of paper.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(football)'' [[m|en|handball|alt=Handball]].^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''Petite main'': an apprentice seamstress.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[baisemain]]

+ * [[mainlevée]]

+ * [[mainmorte]]

+ * [[tournemain]]

+ * [[manette]]

+ * [[manier]]

+ * [[manière]]

+ * [[menotte]]

+ * [[arrière-main]]

+ * [[avant-main]]

+ * [[main-forte]]

+ * [[sous-main]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[manche]]

+ * [[manicle]]

+ * [[manipuler]]

+ * [[manivelle]]

+ * [[manuel]]

+ * [[maintenir]]

+ * [[maintenant]]

+ * [[la|manus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}