éclairer French · revision 16935

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=10th century, Passion de Clermont|origins=la clarus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /e.klɛ.ʁe/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /e.kle.ʁe/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''éclairer'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|esclairer]], ''éclairer'' from the 17th century.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|esclairer]], [[inh|la-vul|*exclāriō]], from [[la|exclārō|t=to light up]],^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|3, 274b) formed with [[m|la|ex-]] and [[m|la|clārō|t=to make bright]], from [[m|la|clārus|t=clear, bright]], the source of [[clair]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005) Rey relates the adjective to the root of [[m|la|clāmō|t=to cry out]].^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Compare [[pro|esclairar]] and [[it|schiarare]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found as a participle in the ''Passion'' of Clermont (10th century): ''Cum le matins fud esclairez'', “when the morning had dawned”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The ''Chanson de Roland'' uses it intransitively: ''Tuz li païs en reluist e esclairet'' (“the whole country shines and is lit up”).^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The transitive sense “to shed light on” someone is found about 1200 (''L'Escoufle''), and on a room in the 13th century.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Very early it took the figurative sense “to make clear, explain” (Gautier de Coinci, about 1220), whence “to enable someone to understand” (1580, Montaigne).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) The participle [[éclairé]] “enlightened” is in Molière (1667), and the 18th century spoke of ''despotisme éclairé''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ From the 16th century it also meant “to pay”, in gamblers' slang ''éclairer le tapis'' (1771), from the shine of coins on the table; in the 18th-century low-life theatre it meant “to bribe”.^(DHLF 1992) In the Revolution it was a euphemism for “to set fire to” (1790).^(DHLF 1992) In the army (1834) it means to scout ahead, as with ''éclaireurs'' “scouts” (1793).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) [[éclair]] “flash of light, lightning” dates from about 1121.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 10th century – ''Esclairez'' in the ''Passion''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1100 – ''Esclairet'', in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1121 – ''Éclair''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1200 – “To shed light on someone”.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1220 – “To explain”, in Gautier de Coinci.^(TLFi)

+ * 1667 – ''Éclairé'' “enlightened”, in Molière.^(TLFi)

+ * 1771 – Gamblers' ''éclairer le tapis''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1790 – Revolutionary “to set on fire”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1793 – ''Éclaireur''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1798 – ''Éclairage''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|light|alt=Light]] (up), [[m|en|illuminate]]: ''les lampes qui éclairent la pièce'', ''s'éclairer'', to light one's way.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To light the way for (someone).^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To shed light on, explain; to [[m|en|enlighten]] (someone).^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # Of a face, to light up.^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(military)'' To [[m|en|scout]] ahead of (a troop).^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(gambling slang)'' To put up one's stake, to pay.^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(regional, impersonal)'' To flash with lightning.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[éclair]]

+ * [[éclairage]]

+ * [[éclairant]]

+ * [[éclairement]]

+ * [[éclaire]]

+ * [[éclaireur]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[clair]]

+ * [[clarté]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}