contre French · revision 16362

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=842, Serments de Strasbourg (contra)|origins=la contrā}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kɔ̃tʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''contre'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|contre]], [[inh|la|contrā|t=opposite, facing; against]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|2, 1111a)^(Wiktionary) It is first written in its Latin form “contra” (842), then “cuntre” (1080) and “contre” (about 1170).^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005) The Latin word has a suffix marking contrast, also seen in [[m|la|extrā]].^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Bloch and Wartburg note that the classical sense “facing” lived on in French until the 17th century and gave the derivative [[contrée]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) From the Vulgate onward “contra” competed with the compound [[m|la-lat|incontrā]], whence [[encontre]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Cognate with [[ro|către]], [[it|contro]], [[oc|contra]], [[es|contra]] and [[pt|contra]].^(REW 1935)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The Serments de Strasbourg (842) have the Latin form: ''in nulla aiudha contra Lodhuwig'' “in no help against Louis”, marking hostility.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ By 1080 the word had the three values it still has: contact (''cuntre tere'' “against the ground”), proportion (''Cuntre un des noz en truverat morz quinze'' “for one of ours he will find fifteen dead”) and opposition.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) Its defensive sense, “to protect against”, dates from 1160–74, and “in exchange for” from 1323.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ The idea of a contrary direction gave ''contre le vent'' (about 1174), ''contre vent et marée'' (1606), ''contre nature'' and ''contre toute espérance'' (1560).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''Par contre'' “on the other hand” goes back to Calvin; purists condemned it, but André Gide defended it.^(DHLF 1992) As a noun it is used in ''le pour et le contre''.^(DHLF 1992) In Swiss and Lyon French it can mean “towards”, and in Belgium ''mettre la porte contre'' is to leave a door pushed to.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 842 – ''Contra'' in the Serments de Strasbourg.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1100 – ''Cuntre paiens'' and ''cuntre tere'' in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1170 – The form ''contre'' in Chrétien de Troyes.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1174 – ''Cuntre le vent''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1323 – The sense “in exchange for”.^(TLFi)

+ * 16th century – ''Par contre'' in Calvin.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1606 – ''Contre vent et marée''.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Preposition===

+ # Against, touching: ''contre le mur'', ''serrer contre son cœur''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # Against, in [[m|en|opposition]] to: ''lutter contre la fraude'', ''nager contre le courant''.^(Larousse)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # For protection against: ''un sirop contre la toux''.^(Larousse)

+ # In exchange for: ''échanger un livre contre un disque''.^(Larousse)^(Wiktionary)

+ # As against, compared with: ''dix voix contre trois''.^(Larousse)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Against: ''voter contre'', ''tout contre'', very close.^(Larousse)

+ # ''Par contre'': on the other hand.^(Larousse)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''Le pour et le contre'': the pros and cons.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(bridge)'' A [[m|en|double]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[contrer]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[encontre]]

+ * [[rencontrer]]

+ * [[contrée]]

+ * [[contraire]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}