frank

frank
\ \ [13] To call someone frank is to link them with the Germanic people who conquered Gaul around 500 AD, the Franks, who gave their name to modern France and the French. After the conquest, full political freedom was granted only to ethnic Franks or to those of the subjugated Celts who were specifically brought under their protection. Hence, franc came to be used as an adjective meaning ‘free’ – a sense it retained when English acquired it from Old French: ‘He was frank and free born in a free city’, John Tiptoft, Julius Caesar’s commentaries 1470. In both French and English, however, it gradually progressed semantically via ‘liberal, generous’ and ‘open’ to ‘candid’. Of related words in English, frankincense [14] comes from Old French franc encens, literally ‘superior incense’ (‘superior’ being a now obsolete sense of French franc), and franc [14], the French unit of currency, comes from the Latin phrase Francorum rex ‘king of the Franks’, which appeared on the coins minted during the reign of Jean le Bon (1350–64). The Franks, incidentally, supposedly got their name from their preferred weapon, the throwing spear, in Old English franca.
\ \ Cf.⇒ FRENCH

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу
Synonyms:
, , , , , , , ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • Frank — Frank, Karl Hermann Frank, Leonhard Frank, ll´ja Michailovič * * * (as used in expressions) Baum, L(yman) Frank Buckley, William F(rank), Jr. Burnet, Sir (Frank) Macfarlane Capra, Frank Chapman, Frank Michler Frank James Cooper …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Frank — may refer to:* A member of the medieval Germanic people, the Franks * Frank (given name) * Frank (surname) * Talk to FRANK the British Government drugs awareness campaign * Franked mail, the ability to send mail by one s signature rather than by… …   Wikipedia

  • Frank — ist ein männlicher Vorname, kommt aber auch als Nachname vor. Es ist außerdem ein ungebräuchlich gewordenes altes deutsches Eigenschaftswort mit den Bedeutungen frei und offen . Im Deutschen kommt es heute nur noch in der Redewendung „frank und… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Frank — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Frank hace referencia a: Frank (Mägo de Oz) Frank, disco de la cantante Amy Winehouse Frank Borzage, director de cine estadounidense; Frank Capra, director de cine estadounidense; Frank Estévez Guerra, poeta español; …   Wikipedia Español

  • frank — frank·al·moign; frank; frank·en·stein; frank·er; frank·fort; frank·furt·er; frank·in·cense; frank·lin; frank·lin·i·an; frank·lin·i·el·la; frank·lin·ite; frank·ly; frank·ness; un·frank; frank·ish; frank·lin·ia; frank·al·moigne; frank·al·moin;… …   English syllables

  • Frank T — en concierto el 2006. Datos generales Nombre real Franklin Tshimini Nsombolay …   Wikipedia Español

  • FRANK (R.) — FRANK ROBERT (1924 ) L’œuvre photographique de Robert Frank, multiple, complexe et radicalement personnelle, apparaît comme le lieu d’une exploration intérieure. Partant de la thèse que «la photographie reste toujours la réaction instinctive de… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Frank Pe — Frank Pé Pour les articles homonymes, voir Frank. Frank Pé dit Frank est un dessinateur de bande dessinée belge, né à Ixelles en Belgique le 15 juillet 1956. Sommaire 1 Biographie …   Wikipédia en Français

  • frank — adj Frank, candid, open, plain are comparable when they mean showing in speech, looks, and manners the willingness to tell what one feels or thinks. Frank stresses lack of reserve or of reticence in the expression of one s thoughts or feelings;… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Frank FM — is the branding used by Nassau Broadcasting Partners for their classic hits radio stations in Maine (WFNK FM Lewiston, WBYA FM Islesboro), New Hampshire (WFNQ FM Nashua, WNNH FM Henniker, WLKZ FM Wolfeboro), Pennsylvania (WFKB FM, Reading), and… …   Wikipedia

  • Frank Pé — Frank Pé, often signing solely as Frank (July 15 1956) is a Belgian comic book artist, best known for Broussaille and Zoo .BiographyFrank Pé was born in Ixelles in 1956. De Weyer, Geert (2005). Frank . In België gestript, pp. 112 113. Tielt:… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”