briser French · revision 16769

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1100, Chanson de Roland|origins=la-lat brisō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /bʁi.ze/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''briser'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|brisier]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|brisier]], [[inh|la-vul|*brisiō]], a form required by Old French and by the Italian outcomes,^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007) probably from Late Latin [[m|la-lat|brisō|t=to tread grapes]] (about 700).^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|1, 531b) Rey suggests the change may be due to the ending of verbs such as [[m|la-vul|*quassiō|t=to smash]] (see [[casser]]).^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ The Latin verb itself is obscure.^(DHLF 1992) Bloch and Wartburg, the Grand Robert and the GLLF think it Gaulish, comparing [[ga|brissim|t=I break]], and Bloch and Wartburg explain the voiced ⟨s⟩ by crossing with Old French [[m|fro|bruisier|t=to break]], also Celtic; the Grand Robert attaches it to a word for grape marc.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989) The Petit Robert calls its origin unknown.^(Petit Robert 2007) Diez, followed by Littré, derived it from [[goh|brestan|t=to burst]], and Wiktionary mentions a Frankish [[m|frk|*bristan]] as possible.^(Littré 1873)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) has it for breaking bones and weapons: ''Tranche le piz, si lui brise les os'', “he cuts his chest and breaks his bones”.^(Littré 1873)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In central modern French the concrete sense “to shatter with a blow” is literary beside the usual [[casser]], though it stays neutral in some regions and in Quebec, where it is the ordinary word and even means “out of order”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) Already in Old French it meant to break a unity: ''briser la paix'' (1214), ''briser un vœu'' (about 1274), in competition with ''rompre''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Figuratively it meant to destroy violently (''briser les courages'', about 1355), to crush a person (1541), and so “to exhaust” (1718), chiefly in ''brisé de fatigue''.^(DHLF 1992) The old sense “to put an end to” (about 1360) was specialized for speech (1470) and declined after the 17th century.^(DHLF 1992) Compounds in ''brise-'' are many: [[brise-tout]] (1371), [[brise-glace]] (1751), [[brise-lames]] (1818).^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – “To break”, ''Chanson de Roland''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1207 – [[brisure]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1214 – ''Briser la paix''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1355 – ''Briser les courages''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1413 – [[bris]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1549 – [[débris]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1718 – “To exhaust”.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(literary; usual in Quebec)'' To [[m|en|break]], [[m|en|shatter]]: ''briser une vitre'', ''briser la glace'', to break the ice.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To crush, put down: ''briser une grève, la résistance''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # To break off, put an end to.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # To break someone's spirit, ''briser le cœur'', to break the heart, ''brisé de fatigue'', worn out.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''Briser ses chaînes'', ''briser le joug'': to throw off servitude.^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''Se briser'': to break; of waves, to break.^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[bris]]

+ * [[brisant]]

+ * [[brisement]]

+ * [[briseur]]

+ * [[brisure]]

+ * [[débris]]

+ * [[brise-glace]]

+ * [[brise-lames]]

+ * [[brise-tout]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}