saisir French · revision 17114

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1100, Chanson de Roland|origins=goh *sazjan}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /sɛ.ziʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /se.ziʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''saisir'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''saisir'', ''seisir''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|goh|*sazjan|t=to set, establish]], according to the TLFi, the FEW and Bloch and Wartburg; the word is found about 700 in the Latin of the Germanic law codes as [[la-med|saciō|alt=sacīre|t=to take possession]] (“ad proprium sacire”).^(TLFi)^(FEW|17, 19b)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) The original sense was probably “to put someone in possession of something”, a term of feudal law; compare [[gmh|setzen]] “to assign someone a property”.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Bloch and Wartburg think it entered Gallo-Romance late (about 800), through Old High German, from [[frk|*satjan]], since a Frankish “*satjan” taken earlier would have given “*saïr”, as “*hatjan” gave [[haïr]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) An older derivation from Frankish [[m|frk|*sakjan|t=to claim a right]], still given by Wiktionary, explains the sense badly.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary) Pierre Guiraud instead proposed a Latin origin, a form [[m|la-vul|*satiiō]] of [[la|satiō|t=to satisfy]].^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ [[it|sagire]] is borrowed from Gallo-Romance, like other feudal terms; [[en|seize]] comes from the Old French verb.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) already has several senses: ''saisir qqn de qqch.'' “to put someone in possession of something”, “to grab with the hand” and “to take by force (a fortress)”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The feudal sense survives in the legal maxim ''le mort saisit le vif'' (1270), “the heir is invested at once with the dead man's goods”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The sense “to take hold of” prevailed from the 15th century: ''saisir au corps'' “to arrest” (1466), ''se saisir de'' (1534).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) About 1200 the Châtelain de Coucy uses it of an emotion that seizes the mind.^(TLFi) In law it meant to seize goods by distraint (1495), later to confiscate.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Mental senses followed: to perceive (Montaigne, 1580), to seize an opportunity (Racine, 1673), to grasp, understand (Académie, 1694; used absolutely, 1923).^(TLFi) Cookery uses it for searing food over a high flame (1832), and computing for keying in data (1972).^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – “To put in possession” and “to grab”, ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1200 – An emotion ''saisit'' someone, Châtelain de Coucy.^(TLFi)

+ * 1270 – ''Le mort saisit le vif''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1495 – To seize goods by legal process.^(TLFi)

+ * 1673 – To seize an opportunity, Racine.^(TLFi)

+ * 1694 – To grasp mentally, Académie.^(TLFi)

+ * 1832 – To sear (cooking).^(TLFi)

+ * 1972 – To key in (computing).^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|seize]], grab, take hold of quickly or forcefully: ''saisir une branche'', ''saisir la balle au bond''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To capture, take (someone) by force; to take hold of.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # To seize (an opportunity, a pretext).^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # To grasp, [[m|en|understand]]: ''je ne saisis pas''.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # Of a feeling or sensation: to take hold of (someone) suddenly: ''saisi de peur'', ''le froid le saisit''.^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(law)'' To seize, confiscate (goods); to refer (a matter) to a court: ''saisir la justice''.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(cooking)'' To [[m|en|sear]] over a high heat.^(TLFi)

+ # ''(computing)'' To key in, enter (data).^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[saisie]]

+ * [[saisine]]

+ * [[saisissable]]

+ * [[saisissant]]

+ * [[saisissement]]

+ * [[dessaisir]]

+ * [[insaisissable]]

+ * [[ressaisir]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|seize]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}