commettre French · revision 17589

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1216|origins=la mittō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kɔ.mɛtʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''commettre'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|committō|t=to put together; to entrust; to perpetrate]], formed from [[m|la|com-|t=with]] and [[m|la|mittō|t=to send]], the source of [[mettre]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989) Its French uses follow the main senses of the Latin verb, “to bring together”, “to entrust” and “to carry out, be guilty of”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Cognate with [[pro|cometre]], [[es|cometer]] and [[it|commettere]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ After an isolated record of about 1216 in the sense “to put up for sale”, the ''Livre de jostice'' (about 1260) uses it in law, for a case entrusted to a judge.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the end of the 13th century, starting in Picardy, it meant to put someone in charge of something, a sense that survives in law (''commettre un rapporteur'').^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) “To entrust something to someone” (1310–1314) was mainly classical: Corneille writes ''Reprenez le pouvoir que vous m'avez commis''.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) From the 14th century it has commonly meant to carry out, be guilty of: Oresme has ''commet et fait adultere'' about 1370.^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873) The sense “to expose someone, compromise them”, from the end of the 16th century, gave way to [[compromettre]].^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) Rope-makers use it for twisting strands into a rope.^(Littré 1873)^(TLFi) Its participle gave [[commis]], a clerk (1320; a shop assistant from 1675).^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1216 – “To put up for sale”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1260 – Legal use, in the ''Livre de jostice''.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * Late 13th century – “To put in charge”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1370 – “To commit (adultery)”, in Oresme.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * Late 16th century – “To expose, compromise”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1752 – ''Commettage'', the twisting of a rope.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|commit|alt=commit]] a blameworthy act: ''commettre une erreur, une faute, un crime''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # ''(familiar, ironic)'' To be the author of: ''elle a commis un mauvais roman''.^(Le Robert)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(law)'' To appoint someone to a task: ''commettre un rapporteur''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(literary)'' To [[m|en|entrust]]: ''le pouvoir que vous m'avez commis''.^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(literary)'' ''Se commettre avec quelqu'un'': to compromise oneself by keeping bad company.^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(nautical, technology)'' To twist strands together to make a [[m|en|rope]].^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[commis]]

+ * [[commettant]]

+ * [[commettage]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mettre]]

+ * [[commission]]

+ * [[compromettre]]

+ * [[la|committō]]

+ * [[en|commit]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}