pousser French · revision 17366

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1130–1150 (“to pant”, of a horse)|origins=la pellō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pu.se/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''pousser'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|pulsō|t=to push, strike repeatedly, beat]], a frequentative formed on “pulsum”, the supine of [[m|la|pellō|t=to set in motion, drive]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|9, 552a)^(Wiktionary) “Pellō” rests on a stem “*pel-” also behind [[grc|πάλλω|tr=pállō|t=to shake]].^(DHLF 1992) The same Latin family gave [[expulser]] and [[impulsion]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Compare [[oc|polsar]], [[es|pujar]] and [[pt|puxar]].^(REW 1935)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Its oldest uses are intransitive: in the 12th century it meant “to pant, gasp”, of a horse, and later of a person (1306), a sense continued by [[pousse]] (a disease of horses) and [[poussif]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ “To press, push” is recorded about 1175, and the transitive “to move by pushing” at the end of the 14th century (Froissart); for a long time ''pousser'' competed with Old French ''bouter'', which it ousted only slowly.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) “To make someone go forward” and ''pousser quelqu'un à'' “to urge” are in Robert Estienne (1538); ''pousser du coude'' dates from 1611 and ''pousser à bout'' from Corneille (1651).^(TLFi) ''Va comme je te pousse'' is Marivaux's (1723).^(TLFi)

+

+ Of plants, “to grow” is recorded in 1660 (in 1580, transitively, “to put forth”), and of children growing up before 1834.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) ''Pousser un soupir'' “to heave a sigh” dates from 1568, ''pousser la chansonnette'' from the 19th century, and the familiar ''faut pas pousser'' “don't overdo it” from 1962.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 12th century – “To pant”, of a horse.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1175 – “To press”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * Late 14th century – “To push (something)”, in Froissart.^(TLFi)

+ * 1538 – ''Pousser quelqu'un à''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1568 – ''Pousser un soupir''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1660 – “To grow”, of a plant.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1723 – ''Va comme je te pousse'', in Marivaux.^(TLFi)

+ * 1962 – ''Faut pas pousser''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|push]]: ''pousser une porte'', ''pousser un chariot''.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # To urge, drive on: ''pousser quelqu'un à partir''.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # To take further, carry on: ''pousser ses recherches'', ''pousser jusqu'à''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # To utter: ''pousser un cri'', ''pousser un soupir''.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To [[m|en|grow]]: ''les cheveux poussent''.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(familiar)'' To go too far: ''faut pas pousser''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''Se pousser'': to move aside.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[poussée]]

+ * [[poussette]]

+ * [[pousse]]

+ * [[poussif]]

+ * [[repousser]]

+ * [[pousse-café]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pouls]]

+ * [[expulser]]

+ * [[la|pulsō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}