pouvier
Appearance
Norman
[edit]Alternative forms
[edit]- pouver (Jersey)
Etymology
[edit]From Old French povoir, pooir, from early Old French poeir, from Vulgar Latin potēre (“to be able”) for Classical Latin posse, present active infinitive of possum. *Potēre was a regularized form from the root potis (“able”) or formed on the basis of the present participle potens. The v is an epenthetic consonant added to avoid hiatus.
Verb
[edit]pouvier
- (Guernsey) can, to be able to
- 1903, Edgar MacCulloch, “Proverbs, Weather Sayings, etc.”, in Guernsey Folk Lore[1], page 517:
- Va où tu peux, meurs où tu deis.
- Go where you can, die where you must.