briller French · revision 16977

+ {{infobox|confidence=disputed|formation=borrowing|attested=1559, Amyot}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /bʁi.je/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''briller'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|it|brillare|t=to move about, flutter; to sparkle]] (1559), which meant “to move about, beat the wings quickly” in the second half of the 15th century and “to give off flashes of light” in the first half of the 16th; the Italian word is of obscure origin.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989) Rey thinks it most likely of imitative origin, from a stem [[m|it|*pirl-|alt=*pir(l)-|t=to whirl, move about]] also seen in [[m|it|prillare|t=to spin round]] and words for a spinning top (compare [[pirouette]]); the light sense would then come from the trembling twinkle of the stars.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(REW 1935) Bloch and Wartburg, the GLLF and Littré prefer [[la|bēryllus|t=beryl]], “to shine like a beryl”,^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873) as does Wiktionary;^(Wiktionary) Rey finds this less satisfying, since the sense of movement is the older one in Italian.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Compare [[pro|brillar]], [[es|brillar]] and [[pt|brilhar]].^(Littré 1873) Littré was surprised that a word so old in the other Romance languages appears in French only in the 16th century.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Amyot uses it in 1559;^(GLLF 1989) in the 16th century it meant “to move about” (Ronsard) and “to be restless with impatience” (1559).^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) In Amyot young Roman nobles ''brilloient d'ardeur de combatre'', “burned with eagerness to fight”.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In hunting it was said of a dog that quests well for game (1583); these senses of movement died out in the first half of the 17th century.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) The sense “to give off flashes of light”, found from 1564, prevailed instead, with metaphorical uses (1608) and figurative ones: “to show itself brilliantly” (1644), “to stand out by some quality” (1651) and, before 1709, “to excel, succeed”.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ The present participle [[brillant]] became an adjective in 1564, and ''un brillant'', a cut diamond, is from 1671.^(DHLF 1992) [[brillantine]] (1823) was a preparation to make hair glossy.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1559 – First record, in Amyot;^(GLLF 1989)^(DHLF 1992) “to be restless”.^(GLLF 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1564 – “To give off light”; the adjective ''brillant''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 1583 – Of a hunting dog.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1644 – “To show itself brilliantly”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1651 – “To stand out”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1671 – ''Un brillant'', a cut diamond.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * Before 1709 – “To excel”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1823 – ''Brillantine''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|shine]], to give off or reflect a bright light: ''Le soleil brille'', ''diamant qui brille de mille feux'', ''faire briller'', to polish.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of the eyes or face, to [[m|en|sparkle]], light up: ''des yeux qui brillent''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To stand out, [[m|en|excel]]: ''briller en société'', ''(ironic)'' ''briller par son absence'', to be conspicuous by one's absence.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(obsolete)'' To move about restlessly; of a hound, to quest for game.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[brillant]]

+ * [[brillantine]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The proverb ''tout ce qui brille n'est pas or'' means “all that glitters is not gold”.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}