amuser French · revision 16503

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=1175, Chrétien de Troyes}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /a.my.ze/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''amuser'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Féraud (1768) notes that it was formerly written ''amuzer''.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|fr|a-|muser|t2=to idle, gape]].^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|6/3, 280a) [[muser|alt=Muser]] (1160) is derived from Old French “mus” “muzzle” (compare [[museau]]), and meant literally “to stand with one's nose in the air”.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Bloch and Wartburg compare [[pro|muzar]], Old Spanish “musar” “to wait” and Old Italian “musare” “to dawdle”, and think the word probably borrowed, without being able to tell from where.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in Chrétien de Troyes (1175), with the sense “to deceive, fool”, to feed someone with vain hopes; the ''Roman de Renart'' has ''or l'a Renart tant amusé que ambedui sont acordé''.^(GLLF 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In classical French it meant to occupy someone's time, to delay them (''amusez-le du moins à débattre avec vous'', Corneille), and to deceive with false hopes, Bossuet writes of the deceitful promises with which the false prophet ''amusait le peuple''.^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007) Montaigne (1580) uses it for distracting someone from a passion.^(Grand Robert 2005) From these came the modern senses: to divert attention (''amuser le tapis''), and in the 17th century to entertain pleasantly, to make laugh.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873) The reflexive ''s'amuser'' “to have fun”, now the dominant use, is found only from 1635.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1160 – The simple verb ''muser''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1175 – ''Amuser'', Chrétien de Troyes.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1470 – ''Amusement''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1580 – “To distract”, Montaigne.^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 1635 – ''S'amuser''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 17th century – “To entertain, make laugh”.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|amuse]], [[m|en|entertain]]; to make laugh: ''ce jeu amuse les enfants'', ''cela ne m'amuse pas''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''S'amuser'': to have fun, enjoy oneself; to play: ''s'amuser comme un petit fou''.^(Wiktionary)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ # ''S'amuser à'': to pass one's time doing; to dawdle.^(Littré 1873)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # To distract, divert (the attention of): ''amuser le caissier'', ''amuser le tapis'', to play for time.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(dated)'' To deceive with false hopes; to delay.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[amusant]]

+ * [[amusement]]

+ * [[amusette]]

+ * [[amuseur]]

+ * [[amuse-gueule]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[muser]]

+ * [[museau]]

+ * [[musard]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}