bourde

French

Inherited from Middle French borde (“bragging, story contrived to impress”), from Vulgar Latin *burda (“contrived falsehood”), attested in a Late Latin glossary as the verb burdit (“brags, boasts”). Cognate to Provençal borda (“lie, falsehood”). Uncertain whether related to Late Latin burda (“reed, rush”) or to Medieval Latin burdus, burdō (“mule”). Geographical distribution suggests a Gaulish origin.

bourde f (plural bourdes)

Walther von Wartburg (1928–2002), “bọrda”, in Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch (in German), volume 1: A–B, page 440
“bourde”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Borrowed from Old French bourde; further etymology is disputed. See bourde (“blunder”).

bourde (plural bourdes)

A diversion or amusing activity, especially humorous:
1. A funny or entertaining tale, narrative, or example.
2. A humorous saying or quip.
3. (rare) A humorous incident or event; a practical joke.
4. (rare) An entertaining incident or event.

“bǒurde, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 3 July 2018.

bourde

alternative form of bord
- 1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Prologues”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC, “The Knyght”, column 2:
  At Alyſaundre he was, when it was won / Full ofte tyme he had the bourde bigon / Abouen alle nacions in Pruce […]
  At Alexandria he was, when it was won / Quite often he had the board begun [sat at the head of the table] / Above all nations in Prussia […]

bourde

bourde f (plural bourdes)