essayer French · revision 16366

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1100, Chanson de Roland (essaiet)|origins=la agō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /e.sɛ.je/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /e.se.je/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''essayer'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|fr|essai|-er]], Old French [[m|fro|essai]] “trial, attempt”.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary) The Grand Robert also allows a Vulgar Latin “*exagiāre” “to weigh”.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007) The noun “essai” continues [[la-lat|exagium|t=weighing]], recorded from the 4th century in the sense “trial”, from [[m|la|exigō|t=to weigh, examine]], itself from [[m|la|ex-]] and [[m|la|agō|t=to drive]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Related Romance verbs are [[it|assaggiare]], [[es|ensayar]], [[pt|ensaiar]] and [[pro|essaiar]], with other prefixes.^(Littré 1873)^(REW 1935)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The past participle ''essaiet'' “tried, proven, experienced” is found in the ''Chanson de Roland'' about 1100, of the archbishop Turpin: ''prudom et essaiet''.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ About 1120 the infinitive ''essaier'' meant “to test”, and in 1155 Wace has ''asaiier a'' with an infinitive, “to try to do something”.^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi) The reflexive ''s'essayer'', “to try out one's strength”, appears about 1135.^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005) In the 14th century it was used of testing workmen and of assaying metals.^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ Trying on clothes and shoes is recorded by Furetière in 1690.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989) In classical French ''essayer'' could also mean “to put (someone) to the test”, as in Corneille.^(GLLF 1989) The construction ''essayer de'' with an infinitive is now the usual one.^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – ''Essaiet'' “proven” in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1120 – ''Essaier'' in the Oxford Psalter.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * c. 1135 – ''S'essayer'' in the ''Couronnement de Louis''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1155 – ''Asaiier a'' “to try to” in Wace's ''Brut''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1360 – The spelling ''essayer'' in Froissart.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1690 – ''Essayer des souliers'' in Furetière.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|test]], try out: ''essayer un moteur''; to [[m|en|assay]] a metal.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # To try on a garment: ''essayer une robe''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To try for the first time, sample: ''essayer un vin''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''Essayer de'': to try, [[m|en|attempt]] to: ''essayer de dormir''.^(Wiktionary)^(Le Robert)

+ # ''S'essayer à'': to try one's hand at.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[essai]]

+ * [[essayage]]

+ * [[essayeur]]

+ * [[essayiste]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}