dépêcher French · revision 16643

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=first quarter of the 13th century, Renclus de Molliens|origins=la pedica}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /de.pɛ.ʃe/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /de.pe.ʃe/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''dépêcher'''^(Wiktionary)

+ ''Despeechier'' (1225), ''despescher'' (late 13th century); the Académie wrote ''depescher'' in 1694 and 1718, ''dépêcher'' from 1740.^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It was formed as the opposite of [[empêcher]], replacing its prefix with [[dé-]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary) That verb comes from [[la-lat|impedicō|t=to catch in a snare, fetter]], from [[m|la|pedica|t=fetter]].^(TLFi)^(FEW|4, 580b) Littré reports Diez's doubts, since [[es|despachar]] and [[it|dispacciare]] seem the same word.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The Renclus de Molliens (first quarter of the 13th century) uses ''se despeechier'' for freeing oneself from something; in 1225 a Douai register has the transitive verb.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The link with ''empêcher'' remained clear in the sense “to set free, deliver”, alive from the 13th to the 16th century.^(DHLF 1992) The idea of getting rid of something quickly took over in the 16th century; the ''Cent Nouvelles nouvelles'' (about 1462) use it for dispatching someone by killing him, and a farce of about 1490 says of a doctor that he ''despeschoit tout à deulx motz''.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) The reflexive ''se dépêcher'' “to hurry” is found about 1490 and has become the commonest use.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ From the idea of speed came “to send someone in haste” (Commynes, late 15th century: ''Il despescha deux de ses bourgeois'') and “to send a message” (1681), the sense behind the noun [[dépêche]] (1464).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Early 13th century – ''Se despeechier'' “to free oneself”.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1462 – “To kill”, ''Cent Nouvelles nouvelles''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1464 – The noun ''dépêche''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1490 – ''Se dépêcher'' “to hurry”.^(TLFi)

+ * Late 15th century – “To send in haste”, Commynes.^(TLFi)

+ * 1681 – “To send dispatches”.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|dispatch]], send in haste: ''dépêcher un messager auprès de quelqu'un''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''Se dépêcher'': to [[m|en|hurry]]: ''dépêche-toi !'', ''se dépêcher de finir''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(literary)'' To get through quickly, rush: ''dépêcher son repas''.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(literary)'' To kill, dispatch: ''dépêcher quelqu'un dans l'autre monde''.^(GLLF 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[dépêche]]

+ * [[dépêcheur]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[empêcher]]

+ * [[pied]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}