effacer French · revision 16869

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1120, Psautier d'Oxford|origins=la facies}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /e.fa.se/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''effacer'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|esfacer]], [[m|fro|esfacier]];^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007) ''effacer'' from the 13th century.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|fr|é-|face|-er]], formed in Old French as “esfacer”, properly “to remove the face, the figure”, with the privative prefix “es-” from [[la|ex-]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873) [[face]] continues [[la-lat|facia]], from classical [[m|la|faciēs|t=face, form]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ It matches [[pro|esfassar]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The Oxford Psalter (first half of the 12th century) has it in an abstract sense, to wipe out without trace: ''seit esfaced li nuns de lui'' “let his name be blotted out”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the first half of the 13th century Thibaut de Champagne uses it for outshining, ''son chief blont qui le fin or efface'' “her blond head that outshines fine gold”, and Corneille has the pronominal in that sense (1640).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The concrete sense, rubbing out what was written or drawn, is in Gautier de Coinci (about 1223), whence ''effacer un pays de la carte''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ In the 17th century it came to mean drawing back so as to present as little surface as possible: in fencing (1670, Molière), and in dancing ''effacer l'épaule'' (1704); from this the reflexive ''s'effacer'' means “to stand aside” (1721), “to give someone precedence” (1740) and “to keep in the background” (late 18th century).^(DHLF 1992)^(BHVF)^(TLFi) Popular slang used it in 1867 for “to eat up” and “to kill”.^(DHLF 1992) The adjective [[effacé]] “retiring” dates from after 1750, and [[ineffaçable]] from 1523.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1120 – ''Esfacer'' “to blot out (a name)”, in the Oxford Psalter.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1223 – “To rub out (writing)”, in Gautier de Coinci.^(TLFi)

+ * 1st half of the 13th century – “To outshine”, in Thibaut de Champagne.^(TLFi)

+ * 1523 – ''Ineffaçable''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1670 – In fencing, in Molière.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1704 – In dancing, ''effacer l'épaule'', in the Trévoux dictionary.^(BHVF)

+ * 1740 – ''S'effacer'' “to give someone precedence”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1867 – Slang “to eat up; to kill”.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|erase]], rub out (what is written or drawn): ''effacer un trait à la gomme'', ''effacer le tableau''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(computing)'' To delete (stored data).^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # To make less distinct, fade.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # To blot out, cause to be forgotten: ''effacer un souvenir''.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+ # To [[m|en|outshine]], eclipse.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # To draw back (a part of the body): ''épaules effacées''.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(reflexive)'' ''S'effacer'': to fade; to stand aside; to keep in the background.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[effacement]]

+ * [[effaceur]]

+ * [[effacé]]

+ * [[effaçable]]

+ * [[ineffaçable]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[face]]

+ * [[la|faciēs]]

+ * [[en|efface]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}