“
Well done
.
Assassin hired, cut-hock
”, indicates Émile Littré in his Dictionary of the French language in 1873. Certainly, our Petit Larousse of the 21st century no longer retain this bravo in their columns.
However, it was still present in the first Petit Larousse in 1905 and will not be abandoned until the 1965 vintage. An investigation is needed on this “
bravo
”.
Who is he ?
A brave man gone bad?
To discover
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"
Brave, in terms of War, means intrepid, who faces perils: and we absolutely say 'he is a brave to say he is a courageous, determined man'
", writes Furetière in 1690.
Read also: Aperitif, a word that has totally changed meaning
What is the origin of the word bravo?
Would we be surprised then to learn that the term bravo owes its origin to the word brave?
Bravery, in fact, it took bravo, this mercenary soldier, to brave death and give it away.
The word, in fact, borrowed from the Italian bravo designating a formidable killer, the “
sicaire
” - from the Latin sica (dagger) - appears in the 16th century.
Obviously, at the time,
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