dirge English · revision 2258

15 Oct 2026, 04:13 by bogdan “New entry from dictionary sources” current version
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+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA: /dɜːdʒ/, /dɝd͡ʒ/^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is [[inh|enm|dirige]],^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995) [[der|la|dīrige|t=direct!]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) the imperative of ''dīrigere'' “to direct”,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) the first word of the antiphon ''Dirige, Domine, Deus meus, in conspectu tuo viam meam'' “Direct, O Lord, my God, my way in thy sight”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from Psalm 5.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU)
+ 
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ In the Latin rite, the name of the service of Matins in the Office for the Dead, taken from the first word of its antiphon (a1225).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)
+ 
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ The name of the service was extended to the chanting of the Office at a funeral or memorial.^(AHD)^(Etymonline) In Middle English it was contracted to ''derge'' (1389) and ''dirge'' (c1400–1430), still pronounced as two syllables.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(AHD) After the Middle Ages, from about 1500, it took on the general sense of a funeral song or lament,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)^(AHD) and later of any slow, mournful music or sound.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) The American Heritage Dictionary notes that a neutral word, “direct”, became emotionally charged through this specialized use.^(AHD)
+ 
+ ==Timeline==
+ * a1225 – the Office for the Dead.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)
+ * 1389 – ''derge''.^(Barnhart 1995)
+ * 1430 – the contracted form ''dirge''.^(Barnhart 1995)
+ * 1500–20 – a song of mourning or lament.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)
+ * c1730 – ''(Scots)'' a funeral feast.^(OED 1989)
+ * a1845 – verb, to sing a dirge over.^(OED 1989)
+ 
+ ==Modern meaning==
+ ===Noun===
+ # A funeral hymn or lament.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)
+ # A slow, solemn and mournful piece of music.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)
+ # A mournful poem or other work, or a mournful sound like a dirge.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)
+ # ''(ecclesiastical)'' The Office for the Dead.^(AHD)^(RHWU)
+ 
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[dirgeful]]
+ * [[dirgelike]]
+ 
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[direct]]
+ * [[dress]]
+ 
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}