payer French · revision 17424

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=2nd half of the 10th century, Vie de saint Léger|origins=la pāx}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pɛ.je/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /pe.je/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''payer'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|paiier]], [[m|fro|paier]].^(Wiktionary)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|paier]], [[inh|la|pācō|t=to pacify, make peace]], derived from [[m|la|pāx|t=peace]] (see [[paix]]).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|7, 454a)^(Wiktionary) In Late Latin, from the 4th century, the verb took the moral sense “to appease, satisfy”, which explains the Romance sense “to satisfy with money”.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) Littré explains it simply: payment appeases.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ Cognate with [[pro|pagar]], [[es|pagar]] and [[it|pagare]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in the second half of the 10th century in the ''Vie de saint Léger'', reflexive, in the sense “to make peace with someone”, used until the 13th century; at the end of the 10th century the ''Passion'' of Clermont has it for “to be satisfied with”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “to give what is owed” appears in Chrétien de Troyes (1170); it probably spread from the south, Old Occitan ''pagar'' being recorded a little earlier (1137).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) ''Payer'' then drove out Old and Middle French ''soudre'', from [[la|solvō|t=to loosen; to pay]], used from the 12th to the 15th century.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) It meant “to pay someone, reward” in Marie de France (1180), and ''paier de cos'' “to pay with blows” in Chrétien (1176–1180).^(TLFi)

+

+ Figurative uses grew in the 16th and 17th centuries: ''payer en monnaie de singe'' (1585), ''payer'' “to atone for” (1538), ''payer de sa personne'' “to put oneself out” (1635).^(TLFi) In 1875 it took the sense “to bring in a profit, pay off”.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 2nd half of the 10th century – Reflexive ''paier'' “to be reconciled”, in the ''Vie de saint Léger''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1170 – “To pay what is owed”, in Chrétien de Troyes.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1170 – ''Paie'' and ''paiement''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1180 – “To pay someone”, in Marie de France.^(TLFi)

+ * 1255 – ''Payable''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1585 – ''Payer en monnoye de singe''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1635 – ''Payer de sa personne''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1875 – “To pay off, be profitable”.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|pay]] a person what is owed: ''payer un employé'', ''être payé au mois''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # To pay a sum, a bill, a debt: ''payer l'addition''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # To pay for something, ''(familiar)'' to buy for someone: ''je te paie un verre''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # To pay for a fault, [[m|en|atone]] for: ''il me le paiera''.^(TLFi)

+ # To be profitable, pay off: ''le crime ne paie pas''.^(TLFi)

+ # ''Payer de sa personne'': to make a personal effort.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[paie]]

+ * [[paiement]]

+ * [[payable]]

+ * [[paye]]

+ * [[payeur]]

+ * [[impayé]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[paix]]

+ * [[pacifier]]

+ * [[la|pācō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}