déchirer French · revision 17638

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=early 12th century, Oxford Psalter|origins=frk *skerian}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /de.ʃi.ʁe/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''déchirer'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|descirer]] (about 1120), ''deschirer'' (about 1155); ''déchirer'' from 1530.^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is derived from Old French [[m|fro|escirer|t=to tear, split]], still found in eastern dialects, with the prefix [[dé-]] substituted for ⟨es-⟩.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005) The old verb comes from [[frk|*skerian|t=to separate, divide]], inferred from [[goh|biskerien|alt=biskerian]] “to deprive, separate”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(FEW|17, 106a) A Frankish [[m|frk|*skīran|t=to scrape]] is semantically difficult; the Petit Robert nevertheless gives [[m|frk|*skerjan|t=to scrape]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) Wiktionary connects the Frankish verb with [[gem-pro|*skeraną|t=to shear, cut]] and [[ang|scieran|t=to cut]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the Canticle of Habakkuk in the Oxford Psalter (early 12th century) ''descireras'' renders Latin ''scindes'': to split or tear into pieces by pulling.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the 12th century it took the figurative sense “to destroy” (about 1150), and especially “to attack someone with wounding words” (about 1280), as in ''déchirer quelqu'un à belles dents''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) It has also expressed emotional pain since Old French, as in ''li cuers me descire'' (about 1275).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Calvin (1541) uses it for tearing a country apart by division, and Corneille (1640) for a heart torn between conflicting feelings.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ It has taken various slang values, such as “to make drunk”, especially in the past participle.^(DHLF 1992) In recent slang it also means to be excellent, to rock.^(Wiktionary) Derivatives are [[déchirement]] (about 1200) and [[déchirure]] (about 1250).^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Early 12th century – ''Descirer'' in the Oxford Psalter.^(TLFi)

+ * 1155 – ''Deschire'' in Wace.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1150 – “To destroy”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1200 – ''Déchirement''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * c. 1275 – ''Li cuers me descire''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1280 – “To attack with words”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1530 – The spelling ''déchirer'' in Palsgrave.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|tear]], [[m|en|rip]] (fabric, paper) by pulling: ''déchirer une lettre'', ''se déchirer un muscle''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To tear the flesh of, lacerate: ''le lion déchire sa proie''.^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To cause sharp pain to; to pierce (silence, the air).^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # To divide by conflict: ''un pays déchiré par la guerre''.^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # To attack (someone) with cruel words: ''déchirer quelqu'un à belles dents''.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # ''Déchirer le voile'': to reveal the truth.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(slang)'' To be excellent, to rock.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[déchirant]]

+ * [[déchiré]]

+ * [[déchirement]]

+ * [[déchirure]]

+ * [[entredéchirer]]

+ * [[indéchirable]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}