ouvrir French · revision 16350

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /u.vʁiʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Louisiana): [uvæɾ]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Louisiana): [ɾuvɾɪɾ]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ouvrir'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''obrir'' (about 980), ''uvrir'' (1080), ''ovrir'', ''ouvrir'' from the 13th century.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|ovrir]], [[inh|la-vul|*operiō]], an alteration of [[la|aperiō|t=to open, uncover]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary) The vowel “o” came from its opposite, Latin [[m|la|operiō|t=to cover, close]]: once “operīre” had given way to its compound [[m|la|cooperiō]] (whence [[couvrir]]), “aperīre” could be drawn towards it by the polarity of the two ideas.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989) “Aperiō” and “operiō” are thought to contain a simple verb “*werīre” with Balto-Slavic relatives such as [[lt|atverti|t=to open]], but the Latin sound changes are unclear.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Littré, writing before this explanation, found the word very difficult to derive.^(Littré 1873) The same altered form is found in [[pro|obrir]] and [[ca|obrir]], while [[it|aprire]], [[es|abrir]] and [[pt|abrir]] continue the classical verb.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ At the end of the 10th century the ''Passion'' of Clermont uses ''obrir'' for making what was closed no longer closed; about 1100 the ''Chanson de Roland'' has ''De pareïs li seit la porte uverte'' “may the gate of paradise be open to him”.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 13th century it meant “to give access to” (of a window opening on a garden), and, from 1485 “to open (a shop)”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The figurative sense “to reveal” is in Jean de Meun (1275–80), and ''ouvrir la voie'' dates from the 14th century.^(TLFi) It also meant to open a letter (1280) and to cut open a body (about 1100).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ In 1376 it took the sense “to begin”, as in opening a war (late 15th century, Froissart), and later a show or a game; in rugby ''ouvrir'' “to pass the ball out to the wings” is from 1928.^(TLFi)^(BHVF) ''Ouvrir un compte'' is recorded in 1720.^(DHLF 1992) The participle ''ouvert'' meant “manifest” (about 1210) and “frank, sincere” (1588).^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * c. 1100 – ''La porte uverte'' and ''uvrit les oilz'' in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1280 – To open a letter.^(TLFi)

+ * 1376 – The sense “to begin”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1485 – ''Boutique ouverte''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1588 – ''Ouvert'' “frank” in Montaigne.^(TLFi)

+ * 1720 – ''Ouvrir un compte''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1928 – A rugby term.^(TLFi)^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|open]]: ''ouvrir une porte, une boîte, les yeux'', ''(absolute)'' to open the door: ''va ouvrir''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To open for business: ''le magasin ouvre à neuf heures''.^(Larousse)

+ # To [[m|en|begin]], start: ''ouvrir la séance'', ''ouvrir le feu''.^(Wiktionary)^(Le Robert)

+ # To make, open up (a path, a way): ''ouvrir une route''.^(Wiktionary)

+ # To switch on: ''ouvrir la radio''.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''S'ouvrir'': to open, ''s'ouvrir à quelqu'un'', to [[m|en|confide]] in someone.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To open onto: ''la fenêtre ouvre sur le jardin''.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ouvrant]]

+ * [[ouvre-boîte]]

+ * [[ouvre-bouteille]]

+ * [[ouvreur]]

+ * [[rouvrir]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ouvert]]

+ * [[ouverture]]

+ * [[couvrir]]

+ * [[la|aperiō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}