pleuvoir French · revision 16803

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1120–40 (pluveir, ploveir)|origins=la pluō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /plø.vwaʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''pleuvoir''' (impersonal)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''ploveir'' (about 1140), ''pluveir'' (1165–70), ''plouvoir'' and ''pleuvoir'' (about 1180).^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) The verb is mostly impersonal: ''il pleut'', ''il pleuvait'', ''il plut'', ''qu'il pleuve'', past participle ''plu''.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|plovoir]], [[inh|la-vul|plovō|t=to rain]] (attested in Petronius in the imperfect), beside classical [[la|pluō|t=to rain]];^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|9, 81a)^(Wiktionary) the French verb shows a change of conjugation.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary) The Romans also used the verb with a personal subject, saying “the sky rains”.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Rey notes that names for rain differ from one Indo-European language to another, and that the Latin verb can be compared only with words meaning “to pour, flow”, such as [[lt|pilti|t=to pour]], [[grc|πλύνω|tr=plúnō|t=to wash]] and [[goh|fliozan|t=to flow]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873) Cognate with [[ro|ploua]], [[it|piovere]], [[ca|ploure]], [[es|llover]] and [[pt|chover]].^(REW 1935)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Gaimar's ''Estoire des Engleis'' (about 1140) has the impersonal verb, of rain falling; the ''Oxford Psalter'' (first half of the 12th century) uses it for manna falling in abundance like rain.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the first texts it was impersonal; by extension, from the 13th century, it was said of rains of blood, fire and the like.^(DHLF 1992) A personal transitive use, “to make rain fall”, chiefly of God (about 1180), stayed marginal, and Eustache Deschamps has “to shower” (late 14th century).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) With a plural subject, blows, projectiles and, figuratively, favours and honours ''pleuvent'' (late 16th century), as later advice, epigrams and books (1718).^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Phrases include ''il pleut à verse'' (Richelet, 1680, ''à la verse'', 1640), ''il pleut à seaux'' (Furetière, 1690) and ''il pleut comme vache qui pisse'' (1876); Quebec French says ''il pleut à boire debout''.^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007) ''Tu vas faire pleuvoir'' is said to someone singing out of tune.^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * First half of the 12th century – Of manna, ''Oxford Psalter''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1140 – Of rain, Gaimar.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1180 – The form ''pleuvoir''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1225–30 – Of stones falling thick, Guillaume de Lorris.^(TLFi)

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

+ * 1680 – ''Il pleut à verse'', Richelet.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1876 – ''Il pleut comme vache qui pisse''.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(impersonal)'' To [[m|en|rain]]: ''il pleut'', ''il pleut à verse, à seaux'', it is pouring, ''qu'il pleuve ou qu'il vente'', come rain or shine, ''(familiar)'' ''ça pleut''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # To fall like rain, come thick and fast, of blows, projectiles, favours or criticism.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[repleuvoir]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pluie]]

+ * [[pluvieux]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}