trembler French · revision 16663

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1120, Oxford Psalter|origins=la tremō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /tʁɑ̃.ble/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''trembler'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''trembler'', ''trambler''.^(Wiktionary)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|trembler]], [[inh|la-vul|*tremulō|alt=*tremulāre]],^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|13/2, 241a) from [[m|la|tremulus|t=trembling]], from [[m|la|tremō|t=to tremble; to fear]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005) The derived verb was preferred to the classical one as more expressive;^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) the classical verb itself survived in French in an altered form, [[craindre]], and in [[pro|tremer]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Rey traces it to an Indo-European root expressing repeated movement, seen in [[m|la|terror]] and, extended, in [[grc|τρέμω|tr=trémō|t=to tremble]].^(DHLF 1992) The learned [[trémuler]] is its doublet.^(Wiktionary)

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+ Cognate with [[it|tremolare]], [[pro|tremblar]] and [[es|temblar]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The Oxford Psalter (early 12th century) has it both for fear, ''de qui tremblerai-je ?'' “of whom shall I be afraid?”, and for physical shaking: ''iluec tremblerent de pour'' “there they trembled with fear”, ''et tremblat la terre'' “and the earth shook”.^(TLFi)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The physical sense, “to be shaken by small involuntary movements”, was soon said of the voice (Hue de Rotelande, about 1180) and, by analogy, of things moved more or less violently, as by an earthquake (Villehardouin, about 1207).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) Diderot (1767) uses it of a flickering light.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) As in Latin, it also means “to be afraid”, notably in ''faire trembler quelqu'un'' (1382); it is built with ''de'' from 1549 and with ''que'' from 1694.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) The comparison ''trembler comme une feuille'' (1935) continues ''trembler comme la feuille'' (1649), earlier ''comme la feuille en l'arbre'' (15th century).^(DHLF 1992)

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+ [[trembleur]] was coined in 1657 to translate English ''quaker''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1120 – Of fear and of physical shaking, Oxford Psalter.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1180 – Of a quavering voice.^(TLFi)

+ * 13th century – The derivative [[tremblement]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1382 – ''Faire trembler''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1549 – ''Trembler de'', Du Bellay.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1657 – [[trembleur]] for “quaker”.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1767 – Of a flickering light, Diderot.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1935 – ''Trembler comme une feuille''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|tremble]], shake with small involuntary movements: ''trembler de froid, de fièvre'', ''trembler comme une feuille''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of the voice, to [[m|en|quaver]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # Of things, to shake, be shaken: ''la terre a tremblé''; of light, to [[m|en|flicker]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # To be afraid, fear: ''trembler pour quelqu'un'', ''faire trembler'', to terrify.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[tremblement]]

+ * [[tremblant]]

+ * [[trembleur]]

+ * [[trembloter]]

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[tremble]]

+ * [[craindre]]

+ * [[trémuler]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}