détacher French · revision 17617

+ French has two verbs ''détacher'': one, “to untie”, is the opposite of [[attacher]]; the other, “to remove stains”, is formed on [[tache]] “stain”.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ {{homograph|1|untie}}

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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1165, Benoît de Sainte-Maure}}

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+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /de.ta.ʃe/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''détacher'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|destachier]] (1165); the Académie wrote ''destacher'' until 1740.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ To untie was formed in Old French with the prefix [[dé-]] as the opposite of [[attacher]], by a change of prefix.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005) That verb rests on Old French [[m|fro|tache|t=clasp]], according to Bloch and Wartburg and the Grand Robert; the GLLF derives the verb from [[m|fro|estache|t=stake, post]], from [[frk|*stakka]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989) At the same period Old French also had [[m|fro|desatachier]].^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) Cognate with [[it|staccare]] and [[pro|destacar]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Benoît de Sainte-Maure's ''Roman de Troie'' (1165) has ''destachier'' for freeing someone or something from what held it.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 17th century it took figurative senses: Corneille in 1640 uses it for detaching someone from their attachments, and ''d'un œil si détaché''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) D'Aubigné (1616–1620) writes that the marshal ''destacha de ses bataillons… huit files'', separating a part from a whole; hence the military sense “to send on a mission” (before 1696) and the administrative “to second”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Félibien (1676) uses it in art for making an object stand out against a background, and in sport ''se détacher'' is said of a rider breaking away from the pack (1858).^(DHLF 1992) Popular French had ''détacher un coup'', to land a blow (1754).^(BHVF)^(GLLF 1989) ''Détachement'' dates from 1606.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1165 – ''Destachier'' in the ''Roman de Troie''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1606 – ''Destachement''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1616–1620 – Separating troops, in d'Aubigné.^(TLFi)

+ * 1640 – Detaching from affections, in Corneille.^(TLFi)

+ * 1676 – Making stand out, in Félibien.^(TLFi)

+ * Before 1696 – Sending on a mission, in Sévigné.^(TLFi)

+ * 1858 – Breaking away in a race.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|untie|alt=untie]], unfasten, free from what holds it: ''détacher un chien'', ''détacher sa ceinture''.^(Le Robert)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # To [[m|en|detach]], separate a part from a whole: ''détacher les pétales d'une fleur'', ''détacher un feuillet d'un carnet''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # To send someone on a mission; to second an official.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To turn away from, free from an attachment.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # To make stand out against a background, ''se détacher'', to stand out.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''Se détacher'': to come off, ''(sport)'' to break away from the pack.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''Pièces détachées'': spare parts.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[détachement]]

+ * [[détaché]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|remove stains}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1501}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /de.ta.ʃe/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''détacher'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ To remove stains is formed from [[dé-]] and [[tache]] “stain” with a verb ending.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The Robert dictionaries date it to 1501.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To remove stains from: ''donner un costume à détacher'', ''détacher un tissu à la benzine''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[détachage]]

+ * [[détacheur]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[attacher]]

+ * [[tache]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}