gorge French · revision 16820

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=early 12th century, Voyage de saint Brendan|origins=la gurges}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɡɔʁʒ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''gorge''' ''f'' (plural gorges)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|gorge]], [[inh|la-vul|*gorga]], a variant of Late Latin [[m|la-lat|gurga|t=gullet]] (6th century), from classical [[la|gurges|t=whirlpool; abyss; figuratively, gullet]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|4, 331b)^(Wiktionary) The TLFi and Rey describe it as a borrowing from spoken Latin, Wiktionary and Bloch and Wartburg as inherited.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Rey and the Petit Robert relate the Latin noun to the Indo-European root [[ine-pro|*gʷer-|t=to swallow]], also seen in [[la|vorō|t=to devour]] and [[grc|βρόγχος|tr=brónkhos|t=windpipe]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ Cognate with [[oc|gorja]], [[pt|gorja]] and [[it|gorga]]; [[pro|gorc]] meant “abyss”.^(Littré 1873)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) In Franche-Comté and French-speaking Switzerland the word is usual for the mouth.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(REW 1935)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Voyage de saint Brendan'' (early 12th century) has it for the inner part of the neck, the throat.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ By extension it named a woman's breasts (Jean Renart, 1228), a sense now dated but kept in [[soutien-gorge]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) It entered phrases such as ''prendre quelqu'un à la gorge'' (late 16th century), ''se couper la gorge'' (Molière, 1664), ''rire à gorge déployée'' (1585) and ''faire rentrer à quelqu'un les paroles dans la gorge'' (Furetière, 1690).^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi) ''Gorge profonde'', an informer, is a calque of the English ''deep throat'' of the Watergate affair (1973).^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ In falconry it named the meal of a hawk (about 1200) and its crop (1376); from it come ''faire des gorges chaudes'' “to make merry at someone's expense” (1690) and ''rendre gorge'', first of a bird bringing up its food, then “to vomit” (Marot, 1535) and “to give back what one took” (1598).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The narrow opening of objects (Jean de Meun) led to a narrow pass between mountains (1675).^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Early 12th century – “Throat”, ''Voyage de saint Brendan''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1200 – A hawk's meal.^(TLFi)

+ * 1228 – “A woman's breasts”, Jean Renart.^(TLFi)

+ * 1269–78 – A narrow opening, Jean de Meun.^(TLFi)

+ * 1585 – ''À gorge déployée''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1598 – ''Rendre gorge'' “to give back by force”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1675 – A mountain pass.^(TLFi)

+ * 1690 – ''En faire une gorge chaude''.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|throat]], front of the neck: ''prendre quelqu'un à la gorge'', ''couper la gorge à quelqu'un''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The [[m|en|gullet]], inside of the throat: ''mal de gorge'', sore throat, ''avoir la gorge serrée'', ''rire à gorge déployée'', to laugh heartily.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(literary or dated)'' A woman's [[m|en|bosom]].^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # A narrow valley, a [[m|en|gorge]].^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # ''Rendre gorge'': to give back ill-gotten gains, ''faire des gorges chaudes de'', to gloat over, mock.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(technical)'' A groove, a narrow opening.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[gorgée]]

+ * [[gorger]]

+ * [[dégorger]]

+ * [[engorger]]

+ * [[regorger]]

+ * [[égorger]]

+ * [[égorgeur]]

+ * [[gorgerette]]

+ * [[coupe-gorge]]

+ * [[rouge-gorge]]

+ * [[soutien-gorge]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ingurgiter]]

+ * [[régurgiter]]

+ * [[la|gurges]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}