exprimer French · revision 16922

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=late 12th century, Dialogues de saint Grégoire|origins=la premo}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɛk.spʁi.me/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''exprimer'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|espriemer]] (late 12th century); ''exprimer'' is a learned remaking of the 14th century.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|exprimō|t=to press out; to portray, express]], with a change of conjugation.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The Latin verb is formed from [[m|la|ex-|t=out]] and [[m|la|premō|t=to press]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989) It ousted [[épreindre]], the inherited outcome of the same Latin verb, which had the same senses in Old French and long survived in the sense “to squeeze”.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The Latin word also gave [[oc|exprimar]], [[es|exprimir]] and [[it|esprimere]].^(Littré 1873) Palsgrave reports that in the 16th century it was pronounced “euzprimer”.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Jean Le Fèvre's ''Lamentations'' (second half of the 14th century) use it for making known in words, the figurative sense of the Latin verb, which came first in French.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The pronominal ''s'exprimer'' “to express oneself” became common from Montaigne (1580), who also has the concrete Latinism “to press out” (juice, a liquid), now old-fashioned except in technical use.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) In the mid-16th century it also meant “to signify”, of words, and in the 17th century “to convey through art”, on the stage.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ From the 17th century it meant showing by one's behaviour (''exprimer de l'audace'', 1645, Tristan l'Hermite) and, in mathematics, serving to note a quantity or relation (before 1662).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) Its classical uses “to define (a thing)” (1672, Molière) and “to portray (a person)” (1676, Racine) have died out.^(DHLF 1992) Its derivatives include [[exprimable]] (about 1600) and [[inexprimable]] (1579).^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * late 12th century – ''Espriemer'', in the ''Dialogues de saint Grégoire''.^(GLLF 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 1314 – The noun [[expression]] is borrowed.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 2nd half of the 14th century – “To make known in words”, in Jean Le Fèvre.^(TLFi)

+ * 1580 – ''S'exprimer'' and “to press out”, in Montaigne.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1645 – ''Exprimer de l'audace'', in Tristan l'Hermite.^(TLFi)

+ * 1676 – “To portray (someone)”, in Racine's second preface to ''Britannicus''.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|express]] (a thought, a feeling) in words: ''exprimer sa pensée clairement''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of words or phrases, to mean, [[m|en|convey]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # To show by a sign, a look or a work of art.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(science)'' To express (a quantity, a relation).^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(reflexive)'' ''S'exprimer'': to express oneself.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(technical)'' To press out (juice): ''exprimer le jus d'une orange''.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[expressif]]

+ * [[exprimable]]

+ * [[inexprimable]]

+ * [[inexprimé]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[expression]]

+ * [[épreindre]]

+ * [[presser]]

+ * [[la|exprimō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}