tirer

French

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French tirer (“to draw, draw a sword”), from Old French tirer (“to draw, pull out with great effort, snatch violently, tear away”), from Medieval Latin, from Vulgar Latin *tīrāre, of uncertain origin, but probably Germanic; possibly from Gothic *𐍄𐌹𐍂𐌰𐌽 (*tiran, “to tear away, remove”), from Proto-Germanic *teraną (“to tear, tear apart”), from Proto-Indo-European *der- (“to tear, tear apart”).

Compare Italian tirare; Catalan, Portuguese, and Spanish tirar. If derived from the Germanic word, cognate with Gothic 𐌳𐌹𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌰𐌽 (distairan, “to tear apart”), 𐌲𐌰𐍄𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌰𐌽 (gatairan, “to tear down, remove”), German zerren (“to tug”). Related to English tear. Alternatively from a reduction of Old French martirier, from Late Latin *martyrāre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ti.ʁe/

• audio

  (file)

Verb

tirer

1. to draw, drag, pull
2. to shoot
3. to draw (conclusions), to consider (consequences)
4. to leave a place
5. to set free, to deliver
   • 1954, Georges Simenon, Maigret et la jeune morte [Maigret and the Dead Girl]:

     Ils s’imaginent qu’en ne répondant pas, ou qu’en répondant n’importe quoi, quitte à se contredire toutes les cinq minutes, ils parviendront à s’en tirer.

     They imagine they can save themselves by refusing to answer questions—or by answering at random and even contradicting themselves every five minutes.

Conjugation

Derived terms

Related terms

• tir
• tir à l’arc

Further reading

• “tirer”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.

Anagrams

• trier

Gallo

Etymology

From Old French tirer (“draw, pull”). Compare meaning in French traire (“to milk”), itself from Old French traire (“to draw, pull”).

Verb

tirer

1. (transitive, agriculture) to milk (cows)

Middle French

Alternative forms

• tyrer

Etymology

From Old French tirer (“to draw, pull out with great effort, snatch violently, tear away”), from Medieval Latin, from Vulgar Latin *tirō, tirāre, of uncertain origin; possibly from Gothic *𐍄𐌹𐍂𐌰𐌽 (*tiran, “to tear away, remove”), from Proto-Germanic *teraną (“to tear, tear apart”), from Proto-Indo-European *derə- (“to tear, tear apart”).

Verb

tirer

1. to pull

Conjugation

• Middle French conjugation varies from one text to another. Hence, the following conjugation should be considered as typical, not as exhaustive.

Descendants

• French: tirer

Old French

Etymology

From Medieval Latin, from Vulgar Latin *tīrō, tīrāre, of uncertain origin, probably Germanic; possibly from Gothic *𐍄𐌹𐍂𐌰𐌽 (*tiran, “to tear away, remove”), from Proto-Germanic *teraną (“to tear, tear apart”), from Proto-Indo-European *derH- (“to tear, tear apart”).

Verb

tirer

1. to pull
   • c. 1210, Henri de Valenciennes, Histoire de l'empereur Henri de Constantinople:

     Ne onkes li Ascres ne tira ses regnes duskes a tant k'il vint a Niké le Grant

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Conjugation

This verb conjugates as a first-group verb ending in -er. Old French conjugation varies significantly by date and by region. The following conjugation should be treated as a guide.

Descendants

• Middle French: tirer
  • French: tirer