presser French · revision 16677

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1160, Eneas|origins=la premō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pʁɛ.se/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /pʁe.se/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''presser'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|pressō|alt=pressāre|t=to press]],^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|18, 98a)^(Wiktionary) a word avoided by classical prose but used by Plautus and the Augustan poets; it is an intensive formed on [[m|la|pressum]], the supine of [[m|la|premō|t=to press, squeeze; to press hard on, harass]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873) Rey finds no secure Indo-European etymology for the Latin verb.^(DHLF 1992) The noun [[presse]] is recorded earlier (1080), which suggests that the verb is older than its first record.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ Compare [[it|pressare]].^(REW 1935)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Roman d'Eneas'' (about 1160) has it in the moral sense “to torment, overwhelm”: ''la morz la presse et argüe'' “death presses and harries her”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The physical sense appears about 1200, for pressing fruit to extract the juice (the ''Dialogue Grégoire'': ''pressoient olive el pressoir''); the reflexive meant “to crowd together” at the same date.^(TLFi) A charter of 1302 has ''presser quelqu'un de'' “to urge someone to”, and Joinville (1306) “to attack vigorously”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The time element came later: ''pressant'' “urgent” (Robert Estienne, 1538), ''le temps nous presse'' and ''pressé'' “in a hurry” (Olivier de Magny, 1557), and ''se presser'' “to hurry” (Madame de Sévigné, 1677).^(TLFi) The old sense “to oppress” passed in part to [[oppresser]].^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Familiar phrases include ''presser quelqu'un comme un citron'' “to squeeze someone dry” and ''se presser le citron'' “to rack one's brains”.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1080 – The noun [[presse]], ''Chanson de Roland''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * c. 1160 – “To torment”, ''Eneas''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1200 – “To press (fruit)”, ''se presser'' “to crowd”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1302 – ''Presser quelqu'un de''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1306 – “To attack vigorously”, Joinville.^(TLFi)

+ * 1538 – ''Pressant'' “urgent”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1557 – ''Le temps nous presse'', ''pressé'' “in a hurry”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1677 – ''Se presser'' “to hurry”, Madame de Sévigné.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|squeeze]], press (to extract juice): ''presser un citron'', ''orange pressée''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To press on, push: ''presser un bouton''; to hug, clasp: ''presser quelqu'un contre son cœur''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # To [[m|en|urge]], put pressure on: ''presser quelqu'un de partir''; to harass: ''presser l'ennemi''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To hurry, speed up: ''presser le pas''; to hurry (someone).^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To be urgent: ''le temps presse'', ''rien ne presse''.^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''Se presser'': to hurry; to crowd, throng: ''la foule se presse à l'entrée''.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[pressant]]

+ * [[pressé]]

+ * [[presse]]

+ * [[pressoir]]

+ * [[presse-citron]]

+ * [[presse-papier]]

+ * [[empresser]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pression]]

+ * [[oppresser]]

+ * [[imprimer]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}