délabore

Délabore is a French verb form that is sometimes described as the present tense, third-person singular of the verb délaborer. The existence and usage of délaborer are uncommon in standard French, and délabore is not widely listed in major dictionaries. When it appears, the sense attributed to the verb is typically related to undoing elaboration or reducing something that has been elaborated.

Etymology and sense

The form blends the prefix dé- (indicating reversal or removal) with élaborer (to elaborate, develop, or work out in detail). In that construction, délabore is understood to convey the act of stripping away elaboration, detail, or complexity from a object, plan, or text. In practice, the term is more often described as a specialized or archaic usage rather than a common verb in contemporary French.

Usage and context

Because délaborer is not common, délabore tends to appear in theoretical, editorial, or design discussions where revision aims to streamline or simplify. In such contexts it might be used to indicate that a document or concept is being pared down to its essential elements. An example would be a line like: Il délabore le texte pour en retirer les détails superflus. In everyday French, speakers would more likely use simplifier, épurer, or résumer.

Relation to other terms

Délabore should not be confused with délabrer, which is a distinct verb meaning to dilapidate or fall into disrepair. Related concepts include élaboration (the act of elaborating) and révision (the act of revising). Because délabore is rare, many editors prefer clearer alternatives.

See also: élaboration, simplification, édition, révision.