queue French · revision 16907

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1080, Chanson de Roland|origins=la cauda}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kø/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''queue''' ''f'' (plural queues)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|cue]], [[m|fro|coe]] (1080), [[m|fro|keue]] (about 1155); ''queue'' from about 1220.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989) The old form ''coue'', used until the early 17th century, survives in [[couette]] and [[couard]].^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|cue]], [[inh|la|cōda|t=tail]], a variant of [[m|la|cauda]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Wiktionary) The Latin word, also used of the penis, is a popular word of unknown origin.^(DHLF 1992) [[coda]] is a doublet, through Italian.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Cognate with [[it|coda]], [[ro|coadă]], [[pro|coa]], [[ca|cua]] and [[pt|cauda]]; [[es|cola]] has an ⟨l⟩ from [[m|es|culo]].^(REW 1935)^(Littré 1873)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Littré gives [[wa|cowe]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Chanson de Roland'' (1080) has it for a horse's tail: ''blanche la cue, et la crignete jalne'' “white the tail and the mane yellow”.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was soon said of other appendages: a bird's tail feathers (1080), the tail of a fish (1121–1134, Philippe de Thaon), the stalk of a fruit or leaf (about 1220), the strip of parchment bearing a seal (about 1155), the train of a dress (late 12th century), a comet's tail (1471), a pigtail (1762), a billiard cue (about 1750) and the ''piano à queue'' (1806).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) By about 1155 it also meant “the end”, first of the last ranks of a procession, whence ''en queue'' of a train.^(DHLF 1992) Rabelais has the sense “penis” (1534 or 1542).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+

+ Many phrases date from the 16th and 17th centuries: ''la queue entre les jambes'' (1548), ''sans queue ni tête'' (1566, ''ni teste ni queue''), ''tirer le diable par la queue'' “to live from hand to mouth” (1651).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''À la queue leu leu'' (about 1440) recalls a children's game: they cried ''à la queue!'' to line up, then ''le leu!'' (the wolf, in Picard form) when the player acting the wolf attacked.^(TLFi) The sense “line of people waiting their turn” appears in 1794, and ''faire la queue'' in the Académie dictionary of 1798.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''Finir en queue de poisson'' “to fizzle out” (1833, Balzac) renders Horace's ''desinit in piscem'';^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''queue de poisson'', cutting in after overtaking, comes from cycling (1909).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1080 – ''Cue'', a horse's tail, in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1121–1134 – ''Cüe de peissun'', in Philippe de Thaon.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1155 – ''Keue'', in Wace; also “the end, the rear”.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+ * c. 1220 – The spelling ''queue''; the stalk of a fruit.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1440 – ''A la queuleuleu''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1534 – “Penis”, in Rabelais.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1651 – ''Tirer le diable par la queue'', in Scarron.^(TLFi)

+ * 1794 – A line of people waiting.^(TLFi)

+ * 1798 – ''Faire la queue'', in the Académie dictionary.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1833 – ''Finir en queue de poisson'', in Balzac.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|tail]] (of a mammal, bird, fish or reptile): ''la queue d'un chien'', ''(cooking)'' ''queue de bœuf'', oxtail.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The [[m|en|stalk]] of a fruit, flower or leaf: ''queues de cerises''.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+ # Something long that hangs down or trails behind: the tail of a comet, the train of a dress, a [[m|en|ponytail]] (''queue-de-cheval'').^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # The end, the rear (opposed to ''tête''): ''la queue du train'', ''en queue de peloton''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # A line of people waiting, a [[m|en|queue]]: ''faire la queue''.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A billiard [[m|en|cue]].^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # The handle of a pan or tool.^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(vulgar)'' The penis.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''Queue de poisson'': cutting in sharply after overtaking, ''finir en queue de poisson'', to fizzle out.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''Sans queue ni tête'': making no sense, ''à la queue leu leu'', in single file.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[queue-de-cheval]]

+ * [[couard]]

+ * [[couette]]

+ * [[queue-de-pie]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[coda]]

+ * [[la|cauda]]

+ * [[en|queue]]

+ * [[en|cue]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A separate, now historical ''queue'' (13th century), perhaps the same word, was a cask holding a muid and a half.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007) In Middle French ''queue'' could also mean a whetstone, from [[la|cōs]].^(FEW|2, 1242b)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}