grâce French · revision 17271

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1050, Vie de saint Alexis|origins=la grātus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɡʁas/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /ɡʁɑs/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''grâce''' ''f'' (plural grâces)^(Wiktionary)

+ The Latin form ''gratia'' is found in the ''Vie de saint Léger'' (second half of the 10th century); ''grace'' from about 1050.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|grātia|t=favour, kindness; gratitude; charm]], from [[m|la|grātus|t=welcome, pleasing; grateful]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|4, 244b) Bloch and Wartburg note that its main senses, the theological one included, were already Latin, and that the sense “charm” was taken from Latin later than the others.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Wiktionary calls it an early borrowing and notes that the long vowel marked by the circumflex is irregular; the TLFi explains the pronunciation /ɡʁɑs/ by the influence of words in “-asse” (“grasse”, “lasse”).^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+

+ The same Latin family gave [[gré]] and [[gratuit]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the 10th-century ''Vie de saint Léger'' it means “goodwill, favour”; about 1050 the ''Vie de saint Alexis'' has ''par la Deu grace'', the grace of God.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the theological sense came ''état de grâce'' (1456), ''an de grâce'' (about 1360) and ''à la grâce de Dieu'' (1872).^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) In secular use it meant favour, and especially pardon, the remission of a penalty (1174–76): ''crier grâce'', the exclamation ''grâce!'' (Corneille, 1642), ''coup de grâce'' “the blow that ends suffering” (1690).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''Rendre grâces'' “to give thanks” is found in 1135; from thanks to God came ''grâce à Dieu'' (1549) and the preposition ''grâce à'' “thanks to” (1564).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ From the middle of the 12th century it also meant the charm of a thing, and by the end of the century of a person, ''bonne grâce'' and ''mauvaise grâce'' describe pleasing or displeasing manners, and the three ''Grâces'' (1550) are the goddesses of charm.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Second half of the 10th century – ''Gratia'' “favour”, ''Vie de saint Léger''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1050 – ''Par la Deu grace'', ''Vie de saint Alexis''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1135 – ''Rendre graces'', Wace.^(TLFi)

+ * Mid-12th century – “Charm”, ''Jeu d'Adam''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1174–76 – “Pardon”, Guernes de Pont-Sainte-Maxence.^(TLFi)

+ * 1456 – ''État de grâce''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1564 – ''Grâce à'' “thanks to”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1690 – ''Coup de grâce''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|favour]]: ''demander une grâce'', ''les bonnes grâces de quelqu'un''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # ''(law)'' A [[m|en|pardon]], remission of a sentence: ''droit de grâce''.^(Larousse)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(theology)'' Divine grace: ''la grâce de Dieu'', ''être en état de grâce''.^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi)

+ # [[m|en|grace|alt=Grace]], charm: ''danser avec grâce''.^(Larousse)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''De bonne grâce'', ''de mauvaise grâce'': willingly, grudgingly.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''Grâce à'': thanks to.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(in the plural)'' Thanks: ''action de grâces'', ''grâce à Dieu''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''De grâce!'': please, for pity's sake!^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[gracier]]

+ * [[graciable]]

+ * [[disgrâce]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[gracieux]]

+ * [[gratuit]]

+ * [[gré]]

+ * [[la|grātia]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}