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Q&A How can a prepositional phrase shift to become a verb?

I don't know why, but the embolded semantic shift for agree (v.) below unsettles me. a gré is a prepositional phrase, correct? If so, how can a prepositional phrase transmogrify into a ve...

2 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by PSTH‭  ·  edited 2y ago by PSTH‭

#3: Post edited by user avatar PSTH‭ · 2022-12-01T08:56:27Z (about 2 years ago)
  • I don't know why, but the embolded semantic shift for [agree (v.)](https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=agree) below unsettles me.
  • 1. _a gré_ is a prepositional phrase, correct?
  • 2. If so, how can a prepositional phrase transmogrify into a verb (e.g. _agreer_)? Can you please make this shift feel more intuitive, or naturalize this shift?
  • > late 14c., "to give consent, assent,"
  • **from Old French _agreer_ "to please, satisfy; to receive with favor, take pleasure in" (12c.), a contraction of phrase a gré "favorably, of good will," literally "to (one's) liking"
  • (or a like contraction in Medieval Latin) from _a_,**
  • from Latin _ad_ "to" (see ad-) + Old French _gre, gret_ "that which pleases,"
  • from Latin _gratum_, neuter of _gratus_ "pleasing, welcome, agreeable"
  • (from suffixed form of PIE root \*gwere- (2) "to favor").
  • >
  • > In Middle English also "to please, gratify, satisfy," a sense preserved in_ agreeable_. Of parties, "come to agreement; make a settlement," mid-15c.; meaning "to be in harmony in opinions" is from late 15c. Of things, "to coincide," from 1520s. To agree to differ is from 1785 (also agree to disagree, 1792).
  • I don't know why, but the embolded semantic shift for [agree (v.)](https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=agree) below unsettles me.
  • 1. _a gré_ is a prepositional phrase, correct?
  • 2. If so, how can a prepositional phrase transmogrify into a verb (e.g. _agreer_)? Can you please make this shift feel more intuitive, or naturalize this shift?
  • > late 14c., "to give consent, assent,"
  • **from Old French _agreer_ "to please, satisfy; to receive with favor, take pleasure in" (12c.), a contraction of phrase a gré "favorably, of good will," literally "to (one's) liking"
  • (or a like contraction in Medieval Latin) from _a_,**
  • from Latin _ad_ "to" (see ad-) + Old French _gre, gret_ "that which pleases,"
  • from Latin _gratum_, neuter of _gratus_ "pleasing, welcome, agreeable"
  • (from suffixed form of PIE root \*gwere- (2) "to favor").
  • >
  • > In Middle English also "to please, gratify, satisfy," a sense preserved in_ agreeable_. Of parties, "come to agreement; make a settlement," mid-15c.; meaning "to be in harmony in opinions" is from late 15c. Of things, "to coincide," from 1520s. To agree to differ is from 1785 (also agree to disagree, 1792).
  • [amerce (v.)](https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=amerce) is another 'good example of how an adverbial phrase in legalese tends to become a verb (compare [abandon](https://www.etymonline.com/word/abandon?ref=etymonline_crossreference)).'
#2: Post edited by user avatar Moshi‭ · 2020-12-02T18:05:42Z (about 4 years ago)
Tagged with languages, feel free to change if I missed the mark
#1: Initial revision by user avatar PSTH‭ · 2020-12-02T06:30:31Z (about 4 years ago)
How can a prepositional phrase shift to become a verb? 
I don't know why, but the embolded semantic shift for [agree (v.)](https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=agree) below unsettles me.   

1. _a gré_ is a prepositional phrase, correct? 

2. If so, how can a prepositional phrase transmogrify into a verb (e.g. _agreer_)? Can you please make this shift feel more intuitive, or naturalize this shift? 

> late 14c., "to give consent, assent,"       
**from Old French _agreer_ "to please, satisfy; to receive with favor, take pleasure in" (12c.), a contraction of phrase a gré "favorably, of good will," literally "to (one's) liking"     
(or a like contraction in Medieval Latin) from _a_,**    
from Latin _ad_ "to" (see ad-) + Old French _gre, gret_ "that which pleases,"    
from Latin _gratum_, neuter of _gratus_ "pleasing, welcome, agreeable"    
(from suffixed form of PIE root \*gwere- (2) "to favor").  
>   
> In Middle English also "to please, gratify, satisfy," a sense preserved in_ agreeable_. Of parties, "come to agreement; make a settlement," mid-15c.; meaning "to be in harmony in opinions" is from late 15c. Of things, "to coincide," from 1520s. To agree to differ is from 1785 (also agree to disagree, 1792).