précis French · revision 16885

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1377, Oresme, Livre du ciel et du monde|origins=la caedo}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pʁe.si/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''précis''' (feminine précise, masculine plural précis, feminine plural précises)^(Wiktionary)

+ ''Pressis'' (1404; early 17th century, d'Aubigné); ''precis'' in the Académie dictionary of 1694 and 1718, ''précis'' from 1740.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|praecīsus|t=cut off; abrupt, (rhetoric) abridged]], past participle of [[m|la|praecīdō|t=to cut off in front; to shorten]], from [[m|la|prae|t=before]] and [[m|la|caedō|t=to strike, cut]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989) In French it took the abstract sense “determined, defined”, that is, mentally cut off, marked out by thought.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Oresme (1377) uses it for what is located at an exactly determined place, ''lieu propre et precis'', and for an exactly determined quantity, ''proporcionalité precise''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Christine de Pizan (1404) has ''a jour pressis'' for an exact point in time, and d'Aubigné ''midi pressis'' “noon sharp”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) From the 16th century it was used of things of the mind and of language: expressed clearly, without superfluous words (1549, Robert Estienne, Montaigne's ''commandements precis''), clearly represented in the mind (1667), and rendered with great exactness (1810, Mme de Staël).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ By metonymy it described a person who expresses himself clearly (1671), a precise style (1670) and a rigorous mind (1680, Bossuet), then movements exactly suited to their aim (1803) and a person who keeps to time (1907).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) It was said of an accurate instrument (1797), a sure eye (1823) and a well-aimed fire (1931).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) As a noun, ''précis'' is a summary (1663, ''pressis'', Bossuet) and a short handbook (1794, ''un petit précis de l'histoire de l'astronomie'').^(TLFi)^(BHVF)^(Grand Robert 2005) [[préciser]] dates from 1797 and [[imprécis]] from 1886.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1377 – “Exactly determined”, in Oresme.^(TLFi)

+ * 1404 – ''A jour pressis'', in Christine de Pizan.^(TLFi)

+ * 1549 – “Clearly expressed”, in Robert Estienne.^(TLFi)

+ * 1663 – ''Pressis'' “summary”, in Loret.^(TLFi)

+ * 1680 – Of a rigorous mind, in Bossuet.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1794 – ''Précis'', a short handbook, in Chénier.^(TLFi)

+ * 1797 – Of an accurate instrument; the verb ''préciser''.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1886 – ''Imprécis''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|precise|alt=Precise]], clear, leaving no room for doubt: ''idées précises'', ''sans raison précise''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|exact|alt=Exact]], accurately determined: ''un endroit précis''; of a time, sharp.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Accurate, done with precision: ''un tir précis''.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of language or a person, concise and accurate.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # Of movements, exactly adapted to their aim.^(TLFi)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A concise summary, a [[m|en|précis]]; a short handbook: ''précis de grammaire''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[préciser]]

+ * [[précisément]]

+ * [[précision]]

+ * [[imprécis]]

+ * [[imprécision]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[concis]]

+ * [[ciseau]]

+ * [[la|praecīsus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}