In French, there are two principle forms of saying goodbye. "Au revoir" is perhaps the most common, and literally means "until re-see" (until we next meet). "Adieu" is the alternative, and its meaning is somewhat more interesting. It is a contraction of "à Dieu" (to God), which is turn a shortening of "je vous recommande à Dieu" (I recommend you to God). In this context, recommend is not quite a synonym for suggest, but implies the act of praying for God's grace and protection. Because of this history, Adieu is a much more powerful word, and conjures a sense of finality.
-E
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