prouver French · revision 17013

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=early 12th century, Benedeit, Voyage de saint Brendan|origins=la probus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pʁu.ve/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''prouver'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''prover'' (late 11th century); ''prouver'' from about 1265.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005) In the 17th century ''prouver'' and ''preuver'' were both in use.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|prover]], [[inh|la|probō|t=to test, try; to approve; to make credible, prove]], from [[m|la|probus|t=good, upright]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|9, 404a)^(Wiktionary) The Latin verb spread to most of the Romance languages, though not to Romanian, according to Rey;^(DHLF 1992) the Petit Robert lists [[ro|proba]] and also [[eu|frogatu]] and [[de|probieren]].^(Petit Robert 2007) The family shows the alternation ⟨ou⟩/⟨eu⟩ of this verb and [[preuve]].^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ Cognate with [[it|provare]], [[oc|provar]], [[es|probar]] and [[pt|provar]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(REW 1935)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Benedeit's ''Voyage de saint Brendan'' (early 12th century) has it for “to show, demonstrate”; the ''Lois de Guillaume'' (about 1130) use ''prover que'' in law, to establish proof.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Rey and Bloch–Wartburg note that it also meant “to put to the test” until the 16th century, especially in the past participle.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The old sense of testing was divided among ''prouver'', [[éprouver]] and [[approuver]].^(DHLF 1992) With a thing as subject it means “to be the sign of” (1197, Hélinand), and a scientific use appears in Brunetto Latini (about 1265).^(TLFi) ''Bien se prouver'' “to behave well” is in Chrétien de Troyes (about 1170), and ''prouver'' “to show a quality or feeling” dates from about 1215.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The saying ''qui prouve trop ne prouve rien'' is in Bossuet (1690).^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 11th century – ''Prover'' “to put to the test”.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * Early 12th century – “To demonstrate”, Benedeit.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1130 – Legal proof, ''Lois de Guillaume''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1265 – The form ''prouver''; scientific use, Brunetto Latini.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1657 – Reflexive ''se prouver'', Pascal.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|prove]], demonstrate by evidence or reasoning: ''prouver son innocence'', ''cela reste à prouver''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(of a thing)'' To be the sign of, show: ''cela prouve qu'il a raison''.^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # To show, give evidence of (a feeling or quality): ''prouver sa reconnaissance''.^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(familiar)'' ''Avoir quelque chose à prouver'': to need to show what one is capable of.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[preuve]]

+ * [[prouvable]]

+ * [[éprouver]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[approuver]]

+ * [[probant]]

+ * [[probable]]

+ * [[probe]]

+ * [[la|probō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}