patte French · revision 16761

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=onomatopoeia|attested=1174–77, Roman de Renart (pate)}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pat/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''patte''' ''f'' (plural pattes)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The TLFi, Rey, the Petit Robert and the GLLF derive it from an imitative stem ⟨patt-⟩, evoking the sound of two objects striking each other, which is widespread in Romance: compare [[oc|pato]], [[es|pata]] and [[pt|pata]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)^(FEW|8, 29b)^(REW 1935) The Grand Robert, after Pierre Guiraud, calls it a Gallo-Roman stem of Gaulish origin applied to swollen or flat objects (hands, paws, lips).^(Grand Robert 2005) Wiktionary instead derives it, through [[la-vul|*patta]], from Frankish [[m|frk|*patta|t=paw, sole of the foot]], and compares [[nl|poot|t=paw]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Old French more often said [[m|fro|poe]] or [[m|fro|pote]] “paw”, from a pre-Celtic [[m|la-vul|*pauta]] (see [[empoter]]), but the newer word, also beginning with /p/, prevailed.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The word for “foot”, [[la|pēs]], survived only in the narrower sense of [[pied]].^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Roman de Renart'' (1174–77) has ''pate'' for the leg of an animal, which carries the body and is used for walking.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ By metaphor it was applied to the human hand (1458), with the coarseness that the move from animal to man implies, in phrases such as ''tomber sous la patte de quelqu'un'' (about 1515), ''mettre la patte sur'' (1690) and ''bas les pattes !'' (Verlaine, 1874).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) It also meant the human arm (Villon, 1461) and leg or foot (1618), as in ''marcher à quatre pattes'' (Cotgrave, 1611), ''à pattes'' “on foot” (1858) and ''en avoir plein les pattes'' (1885).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''Faire patte de velours'' was said of a cat drawing in its claws (1654), then of a person (1718).^(TLFi)

+

+ By likeness the word named many flat or hooked things: a strip of cloth on a garment, as trimming or fastening (1680), an officer's shoulder strap (1835), the flap of a wallet (1842), the fleshy root of some plants (1703) and an iron hook (1723).^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1174–77 – ''Pate'', ''Roman de Renart''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1458 – The human hand, Arnoul Gréban.^(TLFi)

+ * 1461 – The human arm, Villon.^(TLFi)

+ * 1611 – ''Marcher à quatre pattes'', Cotgrave.^(TLFi)

+ * 1654 – ''Faire patte de velours''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1680 – A strip of cloth on a garment, Richelet.^(TLFi)

+ * 1874 – ''Bas les pattes !'', Verlaine.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|paw]] or leg of an animal, ''donner la patte'', of a dog, to give a paw, ''faire patte de velours'', to hide one's claws.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(familiar)'' A person's leg: ''à quatre pattes'', on all fours, ''traîner la patte'', to limp, to lag, ''court sur pattes'', short-legged.^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(familiar)'' A person's hand: ''bas les pattes !'', hands off!, ''graisser la patte à quelqu'un'', to [[m|en|bribe]] someone, ''montrer patte blanche'', to show one's credentials.^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # A strip of material sewn on a garment as a fastening or trimming; a [[m|en|tab]], a flap.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''Pattes de mouche'': spidery handwriting, ''pattes d'éléphant'', flared trousers.^(Wiktionary)

+ # A hook or bracket for fixing.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[pattu]]

+ * [[pataud]]

+ * [[patauger]]

+ * [[patin]]

+ * [[patiner]]

+ * [[épater]]

+ * [[mille-pattes]]

+ * [[patte-d'oie]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pied]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The Grand Robert gives a second ''patte'' (16th century), a rag or strip of cloth, from [[lng|*paita|t=garment]], Meyer-Lübke likewise traces to that word French ''patte'' “rag; strip of cloth fastened with a button”, which survives in eastern dialects.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(REW 1935)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}