Cavalier - is it a partner or a fan? The subtleties of the meaning of a word

In Russian there is a colorful and imaginative name for a man caring for a woman and seeking her reciprocity. The meaning of the word "cavalier", however, is not limited to this context and has several connotations. In the time of the knights, it was associated with boldness, valor and certain merits before the homeland, for which they were awarded the Order. In general, the concept refers to male images and characterizes them in various contexts. Let's consider the details of the definitions in detail.

Value

There are three main meanings of the word "cavalier" - it's a fan, partner in dance and an employee, presented to the award (order).

1. The fan. This is a man who cares for a woman, seeking mutual feelings or attention on her part.

Example:

If a woman has many gentlemen, this is an indicator of her self-confidence and desire to please others.

2. A partner in dance. The meaning is somewhat obsolete for this context and has a literary, artistic character. However, it is also used for the imagery of speech in a dance environment.

Example:

The girl did not have time to sit down, the gentlemen invited her to dance one by one.

3. Knight of any order. The term was originally relevant for Western Europe, where this concept characterized titled aristocrats. In the time of tsarist Russia it was also borrowed in Russian. Defines both women and men presented to awards or orders.

Example:

Knights of the Order of Glory were first awarded in 1943.

Origin

The word "cavalier" was borrowed in the 16th century from the Polish language. It goes back to the German word kabalier or French cavalier. They, in turn, originated from the Latin caballus. The latter in translation means "horse". Hence the clear development of connotation. There is a semantic chain: "horse, then" horseman ", and get a" nobleman ".

Syntactic and morphological properties

"Cavalier" is a masculine noun, animate. Belongs to the second declension. Characterized by the type of declination 1-a according to AA Zaliznyak's classification. The root of the word: -manager-. When pronounced, the stress falls on the last syllable: ka-wa-ler.

Singular:

Plural:

Synonyms

The main meaning of the word "cavalier" is a man in various descriptive contexts. In this regard, you can select the following synonyms for him: partner, partner in dance, admirer, suitor, admirer, adorer, knight, gentleman, caballero, chevalier.

Examples in which the word "cavalier" (the value is not lost) are replaced by synonyms:

- The partner took such a fast pace that very much stepped on her foot.

- In her youth she had many admirers.

- The suitors gave her expensive and memorable gifts, which the girl could not accept because of her upbringing.

- The knight put his hand on his chest and thanked him for presenting himself to the award.

"He looks after me like a real gentleman."

Phraseological units and stable word combinations

The following can be classified as stable expressions:

• Gallant. It has an ironic meaning: a dandy, a ladies' man, a gracious man.
• The St. George Chevalier. This is a military man who received the Order of St. George for showing courage.
• Andreevsky Cavalier. Like the above-mentioned option, this is an employee, presented to the award of the Order of St. Andrew.
• An enviable knight. A high-ranking connoisseur or a titled admirer.
• The Court Cavalier. The court rank in the times of the Russian Empire. Among them were the Junkers and Chamberlains.
• There is no release from the gentlemen. An expression that describes the abundance of fans in a girl or a lady.
• Honorable Chevalier. It is the owner of any order or rank for the qualities or merits.

Most often the word is used in general vocabulary and fiction. The second area for the popularity of the application can be called slang. For many, the word is associated with the British version of English and medieval novels. Also, "Cavalier" (synonymous with "boyfriend" more correctly defines the context) can be found in the legal vocabulary. The widest possible value is revealed in the environment of synonyms and stable expressions. Promotes the increase of imagery and expressiveness of speech.