croiser French · revision 16948

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1100, Chanson de Roland|origins=la crux}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kʁwa.ze/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''croiser'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|cruisier]] (about 1100); ''croiser'' from the 12th century.^(GLLF 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|fr|croix|-er]] (Old French [[m|fro|crois]]),^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|2, 1377a) from [[la|crux|t=cross]], through its accusative.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ Compare [[pro|crozar]], [[ca|crusar]], [[es|cruzar]], [[pt|cruzar]] and [[it|crociare]].^(Littré 1873)^(REW 1935)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) has ''cruisier'' “to lay crosswise”: ''Cruisiedes ad ses blanches mains les beles'' (“he has crossed his fair white hands”).^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the time of the crusades, long before the word [[croisade]], ''soi cruisier'' meant “to take the cross”, to sew a cross on one's garment and vow to go on crusade (1174, Guernes de Pont-Sainte-Maxence), and a ''croisé'' was a crusader (12th century).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ''Se croiser'' “to meet going in opposite directions” is in Froissart (second half of the 14th century), and Aubigné has ''croiser le chemin à quelqu'un'' (1620).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The sense “to cut across (a line, a road)” dates from 1660 (Oudin).^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007) In the navy (1671, Pomey) a ship ''croise'' when it sails to and fro in given waters to watch them, hence [[croisière]] (1680) and the modern [[croiseur]] “cruiser” (1690).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) The breeders' sense “to cross (animals)” appears before 1782 (Raynal), ''croiser le fer'' in fencing in 1835.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) ''Se croiser les bras'' has taken the figurative sense “to do nothing”.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – ''Cruisier'' “to lay crosswise”, in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1174 – ''Soi cruisier'' “to take the cross”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1195 – ''Croisement''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 2nd half of the 14th century – ''Se croiser'' “to pass each other”, in Froissart.^(TLFi)

+ * 1620 – ''Croiser le chemin à quelqu'un''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1660 – “To cut across” (Oudin).^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1671 – Naval “to cruise” (Pomey).^(TLFi)

+ * Before 1782 – “To crossbreed”, in Raynal.^(TLFi)

+ * 1835 – ''Croiser le fer''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|cross|alt=Cross]], to lay one across the other: ''croiser les jambes'', ''croiser les doigts'', to keep one's fingers crossed, ''se croiser les bras'', to sit idle.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''Croiser le fer'': to cross swords; figuratively, to clash with someone.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # To cut across, intersect: ''La voie ferrée croise la route.''^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To pass (someone going the other way); to come across, run into: ''croiser quelqu'un'', ''se croiser'', to pass each other.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|crossbreed]] (animals, plants).^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(nautical, intransitive)'' To [[m|en|cruise]], to patrol an area at sea.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(historical)'' ''Se croiser'': to take the cross, to go on [[m|en|crusade]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[croisade]]

+ * [[croisement]]

+ * [[croiseur]]

+ * [[entrecroiser]]

+ * [[croisière]]

+ * [[croisé]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[croix]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}