sable French · revision 16673

+ {{homograph|1|sand}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=back-formation|attested=c. 1150, Roman de Thèbes|origins=la sabulum}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /sabl/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /sɑbl/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Quebec): [sɑɔ̯bl]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Louisiana): [sab]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''sable''' ''m'' (plural sables)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Sand is first found as an isolated form about 1150, from [[la|sabulum|t=sand; coarse sand, gravel]] (syncopated [[m|la|sablum]]).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Wiktionary) In Old and Middle French the usual words were [[sablon]] and [[m|fro|areine]] (see [[arène]]); when the word reappears in the 15th century it is probably a back-formation [[der|fro|sablon]],^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|11, 18a) which continues [[m|la|sabulō|alt=sabulōnem|t=coarse sand]], from the same Latin noun.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) The early feminine (1483) is explained, on that view, by analogy with pairs such as [[glace]] and [[glaçon]].^(TLFi) The GLLF instead derives it directly from the Latin word and calls the back-formation less likely.^(GLLF 1989) Rey compares [[grc|ψάμαθος|tr=psámathos|t=sand]] and [[goh|sant]].^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Compare [[it|sabbia]] and [[pt|saibro|t=gravel]].^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Roman de Thèbes'' (about 1150) has the figurative ''semer ses paroles en sable'' “to sow one's words in the sand, waste them”, and also uses it for a stretch of sand.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ After the 15th-century records (''soble'', 1482, ''la sable'', 1483), Palsgrave (1530) makes it masculine.^(TLFi) From the 16th century the plural ''sables'' named a sandy waste or desert (1503).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Rabelais (1552) has ''horologe de sable'', the hourglass later called [[sablier]], and foundry work gave ''jeter en sable'' “to cast in a sand mould” (Monet, 1636), which La Fontaine (1684) used for downing a drink at one go.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Montaigne (1588) applies it to kidney gravel.^(TLFi)

+

+ Figurative phrases include ''bâtir sur le sable'' (Racan, about 1618), ''sables mouvants'' “quicksand” (early 17th century; figurative 1689), ''le marchand de sable a passé'' (1659), ''avoir du sable dans les yeux'' “to be sleepy” (1798) and slang ''être sur le sable'' “to be broke” (1827).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1150 – ''Sable'', ''Roman de Thèbes''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1482–83 – ''Soble'', ''la sable''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1530 – Masculine ''sable'', Palsgrave.^(TLFi)

+ * 1552 – ''Horologe de sable'', Rabelais.^(TLFi)

+ * 1588 – Kidney gravel, Montaigne.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1618 – ''Bâtir sur le sable'', Racan.^(TLFi)

+ * 1636 – ''Jeter en sable'', Monet.^(TLFi)

+ * 1659 – ''Le marchand de sable a passé''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1827 – ''Être sur le sable'' “to be broke”.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|sand]]: ''grain de sable'', ''plage de sable fin'', ''sables mouvants'', quicksand.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''Sables'' (plural): a sandy expanse, desert.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''Bâtir sur le sable'': to build on sand, ''le marchand de sable est passé'', it is bedtime.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(medicine, dated)'' Gravel in the kidneys.^(TLFi)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Sand-coloured, beige: ''un imperméable sable''.^(BHVF)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sabler]]

+ * [[sableux]]

+ * [[sablier]]

+ * [[sablière]]

+ * [[ensabler]]

+ * [[désensabler]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|heraldic black}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1165|origins=ru соболь}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /sabl/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /sɑbl/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Quebec): [sɑɔ̯bl]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Louisiana): [sab]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''sable''' ''m'' (plural sables)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The heraldic colour is [[bor|la-med|sabellum|t=sable marten]],^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) from [[ru|соболь|tr=sóbolʹ]] or [[pl|soból]], the name of a marten with black fur.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary has it pass through [[gml|sabel]], comparing [[gmh|zobel]].^(Wiktionary) It is a doublet of [[zibeline]].^(Wiktionary)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Rey dates the word to about 1165, and Chrétien de Troyes (about 1175) uses it for the sable marten.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Until the 16th century it named the sable marten and its skin used as fur.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) In heraldry (about 1240) it means “black”, the colour of the fur.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007) The Anglo-Norman ''sable'' “sable fur; black” is recorded from 1300.^(AND)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1165 – First record.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1175 – The sable marten, Chrétien de Troyes.^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * c. 1240 – “Black” in heraldry.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 16th century – The animal's name drops out of use.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(heraldry)'' [[m|en|sable]], black.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(obsolete)'' The sable marten; its fur.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sablon]]

+ * [[zibeline]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}