couvrir French · revision 17205

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=late 10th century, Passion de Clermont (covrir)|origins=la operiō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ku.vʁiʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''couvrir'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''covrir'' (about 980), ''cuvrir''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|covrir]], [[inh|la|cooperiō|t=to cover completely; to overwhelm]], formed with the intensive [[m|la|co-]] and [[m|la|operiō|t=to cover]] (see [[ouvrir]]).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|2, 1140b) The compound, with its stronger sense, replaced the simple verb in this meaning in all the Romance languages.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Cognate with [[it|coprire]], [[es|cubrir]] and [[pro|cobrir]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the ''Passion'' of Clermont (second half of the 10th century) it means to hide something by putting something over it, and to be spread abundantly over something.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old French its basic idea of covering by laying something over took many applications according to the aim: to hide, to adorn, to protect.^(DHLF 1992) Abstract hiding is in Chrétien de Troyes (''por ma honte covrir'', 1172), as is ''par moz coverz'' “in veiled words” (1176), the source of ''à mots couverts''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) It meant to roof a house (1172), to protect (about 1165), to clothe (''se couvrir'', about 1230) and, of animals, to mate (1372); a sky ''se couvre'' from the 13th century.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Pascal has ''couvrir de gloire'' (1657).^(TLFi)

+

+ Later senses include drowning out a sound (1835), to back someone with one's authority (about 1475) and, in finance, to cover a sum (1793).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) To cover a distance is found in 1905, and to report on an event in journalism is borrowed from English ''to cover''.^(BHVF)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 10th century – ''Passion'' of Clermont.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1100 – In the ''Chanson de Roland'': ''Cuvert en sont li val et les montagnes''.^(Littré 1873)^(TLFi)

+ * 1172 – To roof; to hide (figuratively), Chrétien de Troyes.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1230 – ''Se couvrir'', to dress.^(TLFi)

+ * 1372 – Of animals mating.^(TLFi)

+ * 1793 – In finance, Beaumarchais.^(TLFi)

+ * 1835 – To drown out a sound.^(TLFi)

+ * 1905 – To cover a distance.^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|cover]]; to put something over or on: ''couvrir un plat'', ''couvrir un toit d'ardoises'', ''couvrir un livre''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # To spread over, cover thickly: ''la neige couvre les champs'', ''(figurative)'' ''couvrir de baisers'', ''de honte''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # To clothe, wrap up, ''se couvrir'', to put on warm clothes or one's hat; of the sky, to cloud over.^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+ # To hide, mask; to drown out: ''le bruit couvrait sa voix''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # To protect, shield; to cover for: ''couvrir un subordonné''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # To make up, cover a sum, risk or expense: ''couvrir les frais''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # To travel a distance; to span a period; to report on an event.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # Of a male animal, to mate with.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[couvert]]

+ * [[couverte]]

+ * [[couverture]]

+ * [[couvreur]]

+ * [[recouvrir]]

+ * [[découvrir]]

+ * [[couvre-chef]]

+ * [[couvre-feu]]

+ * [[couvre-lit]]

+ * [[couvre-pied]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ouvrir]]

+ * [[couvercle]]

+ * [[opercule]]

+ * [[la|cooperiō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}