poing French · revision 17492

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pwɛ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''poing''' ''m'' (plural poings)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|puing]] (about 1050), [[m|fro|poign]] (1080), ''poing'' (about 1175, Chrétien de Troyes).^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|poing]], [[inh|la|pugnus|t=fist; handful]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|9, 514a) Rey thinks the Latin word may belong to an Indo-European root also seen in [[m|la|pungō|t=to prick]] (see [[poindre]]), expressing a blow; the Petit Robert compares [[grc|πυγμή|tr=pugmḗ|t=fist]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) Wiktionary traces it to Proto-Indo-European [[m|ine-pro|*pewǵ-|t=to prick, punch]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Cognate with [[it|pugno]], [[es|puño]], [[pt|punho]], [[ca|puny]], [[oc|ponh]] and [[ro|pumn]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(REW 1935)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Vie de saint Alexis'' (about 1050) has ''puing'' for the closed hand.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word also meant the hand in general, a sense now limited to a few phrases, as of the old punishment of cutting off a hand.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) By the end of the 12th century the fist was a symbol of power, and of force and violence in ''coup de poing'', ''venir aux poings'' (1566) and ''montrer le poing à quelqu'un'' (1680).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) In falconry the ''oiseau de poing'' (1570) is carried on the fist.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) ''Se ronger les poings'' is in Diderot (1769), and ''dormir à poings fermés'' in Balzac (1834).^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ The derivatives [[poignée]] (about 1170) and [[poignet]] (1209) are early; [[poigne]] “grip” is from 1807, and [[pognon]] “dough, money” from 1840.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1050 – ''Puing'' in the ''Vie de saint Alexis''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1080 – ''Poign'' in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1175 – ''Poing'', in Chrétien de Troyes.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1566 – ''Venir aux poings''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1570 – ''Oiseau de poing''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1680 – ''Montrer le poing''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1834 – ''Dormir à poings fermés'', in Balzac.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|fist]]: ''serrer le poing'', ''un coup de poing''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # ''Montrer le poing'': to shake one's fist, ''le poing levé'', a raised fist as a salute.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''Dormir à poings fermés'': to sleep soundly, ''pieds et poings liés'', bound hand and foot.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # ''Arme de poing'': a [[m|en|handgun]] or short blade held in the hand.^(Larousse)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''Taper du poing sur la table'': to bang one's fist on the table, to assert authority.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[poigne]]

+ * [[poignée]]

+ * [[poignet]]

+ * [[pognon]]

+ * [[empoigner]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pugnace]]

+ * [[poignard]]

+ * [[la|pugnus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}