vacance French · revision 17034

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1305–1307, Anglo-Norman letters (vacaunce)|origins=la vacō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /va.kɑ̃s/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''vacance''' ''f'' (plural vacances)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|fr|vacant|-ance]].^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007) Wiktionary forms it on [[vaquer]] instead, and Littré traces it to [[la-med|vacantia]].^(Wiktionary)^(Littré 1873) “Vacant” was borrowed from [[la|vacāns]], the present participle of [[m|la|vacō|t=to be empty, be free]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Anglo-Norman letters of 1305–1307 speak of ''tens vacaunce de Abbesse'', a time when an abbey had no abbess, the state of an office without a holder.^(TLFi)^(AND)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A legal text of 1531 has ''vacance de la foy'' “lack of faith”.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) In 1594 the plural ''vacances'' was the period when the courts stopped sitting, and soon after a day of rest (1596, singular).^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007) School holidays are ''vacances'' in Sorel's ''Francion'' (1623), and the plural meant time off work in general from 1669.^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ The singular kept the sense “vacancy”: ''vacance du saint siège'' (1643), ''vacance du trône'' (1719) and a post to be filled (1830); Huysmans (1884) speaks of the ''vacance'' of an empty mind.^(TLFi) The Académie noted in 1778 that the singular was also used for a day off, but by 1878 only “sometimes”.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1305–1307 – ''Vacaunce'', an office without a holder.^(TLFi)

+ * 1594 – ''Vacances'' of the courts.^(TLFi)

+ * 1596 – A day of rest, Hulsius.^(TLFi)

+ * 1623 – School holidays, Sorel.^(TLFi)

+ * 1643 – ''Vacance du saint siège''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1830 – A vacant post.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(plural)'' [[m|en|holiday|alt=Holidays]], [[m|en|vacation]]: ''partir en vacances'', ''les grandes vacances'', ''vacances scolaires''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(plural, law)'' The recess of the courts: ''vacances judiciaires''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(singular)'' A [[m|en|vacancy]], the state of a post or office without a holder: ''la vacance du pouvoir''.^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(literary)'' Emptiness: ''la vacance de l'esprit''.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[vacancier]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vacant]]

+ * [[vaquer]]

+ * [[vacation]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}