French Vocabulary

French Vocabulary

Désolé, mais les essais complets ne sont disponibles que pour les utilisateurs enregistrés

Choisissez un plan d'adhésion
endiguer
dyke up, contain, hold back, restrain
enchevetrement (nf)
mess, tangle
pieuvre (nf)
octopus
pietiner
stamp, get nowhere,
derapage
skid, misdemeanour, misconduct
atteler
harness, get down to something
surseoir
delay, reprieve, adjourn, stay (legal)
retif
stubborn, restive, recalcitrant
malmener
mistreat, abuse, mangle, destroy,
egarer
s’egarer
lose, misplace
get lost, lose one’s way
rouage (nm)
cog, gearwheel, machinery
deroger
contravene, depart from, infringe
maquis (nm)
underbrush, scrubland, jungle (metaphorical)
carcan (nm)
restraint, straitjacket, fetters, horse collar
emousser
blunt, dull, take the edge off
clore
end, close, fence, shut off
charge
loaded up, overloaded
precarite
instability, insecurity, hesitancty

mirer

ligne de mire

reflect, mirror line of fire, line of sight, line of vision
eboueur
garbage collector
enfouissement
burying, ploughing in
berge (nf)
river bank, embankment
aval
en aval
downstream portion, support
later on (?), as a consequence (?)
amont (nm)
upstream, beforehand
trier
classify, sort, put into order, choose, pick out
dispositif (nm)
package (of measures), presence (police. military), device, machine, apparatus, plan
profiter de
take advantage of (positive)
exploiter
take advantage of (negative)
juste
just (a short time ago) (Je viens juste de l’en faire une.)
just (only) (Je veux juste un reponse directe.)
just (fair) (Leur punition etait severe mais juste.)
de peu
just (by a slim margin) (Il a rate le bus de peu.)
incidence (nf)
repercussion, negative effect
(also in physics « angle of incidence » (?))
cave (adj)
stupid, idiotic (hollow)
le cas echeant
where necessary, in that event, if need be,
constater
note, notice, observe, record, certify
baliser
demarcate, circumscribe (panic, freak out)
pour autant
for all that, provided that, clenching
crispation (nf)
twitching, contraction,
state of tension
se targuer
pride oneself, boast about
etre au diapason

diapason (nm)

to be in agreement with, in tune with etc

tuning fork

tractation (nf)
secret negotiation
tapage (nm)
uproar, row, noise (splash (publicity)
s’ecrouler
collapse
tasser
pack, press, compress (tamp)
pack up, pack away (familiar)
shrink (someone tasser)
enquiquiner
s’enquiquiner
annoy, bore, bother, worry (familiar)
be bored, be fed up (familiar)
paitre
graze (literary)
send packing, (receive badly) (familiar)
gruger
rob (literary), dupe
libeller
libelle (nm)
draw up
wording
bourde (nm)
gaffe, blunder, slip-up (familiar), whopper, fib
fusee (nf)
rocket (space)
tremplin (nm)
springboard, diving board
crosser
crosseur (nm)
cheat, swindle (Quebec)
dishonest person, liar
range

ranger

tidy, neat, orderly,

put away, bring around (persuade)

inusite
uncommon, abandoned, lying idle
inedit
original, novel, new, unprecedented, unpublished
enieme
umpteenth
broncher
buck (horse), stumble, flinch, balk, shy away from
lubie
lubie (nf)
latest fad
niveler
tear down (level)
niveler par le bas (le haut)
feu de paille
flash in the pan
d’ores et deja
already, now, right now
relever

relever de

pick up, spice, raise, embellish, measure, dismiss, fire,

result from (« tout ca relevait d’un consensus social qui ne tenait a rien »)

ne tenir a rien
not take much, be a very fine line (??)

(not to count for much)

assise (nf)
foundation, base, bedrock
verrouiller
lock, cordon off, close off
taxer
tax,
accuse someone of something (taxer qqn de qch)
(slang) cadge, sponge, pinch, swipe
renflouer
float, bail out, recapitalize
berner

(en) berne (nf)

fool, deceive, cheat, swindle

at half-mast

penaud
sheepish, abashed, shame-faced
mansuetude
leniency
a plat ventre
face down, flat on one’s stomach
acting in a servile way
ronger son frein
to champ at the bit
contingentemente (nm)
quota
tergiverser
prevaricate, procrastinarte (?), pussyfoot, tergiversate
besace (nf)
saddle bag, some sort of (woman’s) bag with similar straps (?)
amadouer
s’amadouer
coax, cajole, wheedle
become softer
boire les paroles
hang on (someone’s) every word
debordement (nm)
overflow (substance, emotion); excess, misbehaviour
solder
se solder
solder a
aaclear, settle (debt); sell off, discount, put on sale, pay
end in
reduce to
hebete
stupified, dazed
se ratatiner
ratatiner (familer)
shrivel up
demolish, bump off
bousiller (familier)
wreck, ruin
entamer
start on, open, begin
crochu

avoir d’atomes crochus

hooked, curved

have a lot in common

infanterie (nf)
infantry
saupoudrer
sprinkle (also figurative), dredgecover lightly with a powdery substance (I.e. ‘dust’), figurative (give sparingly)
au propre et au figure
literally and figuratively
marotte (nf)
craze, hobby-horse
juste milieu (nm)
happy medium
mou
soft, weak, meek, pliable
effritet
s’effriter
cause to crumble, erode
crumble, erode
lancer un pave dans la mare
make waves (I.e. do something that will have multiple unpredictable repercussions)
also? set the cat among the pigeons, put a fly in the ointment
fringale (nf)
raging (and sudden?) hunger (J’ai la fringale.)
tiquer
be distracted, raise an eyebrow
dissiper
dissipate, dispel, waste, squander, fritter away
encontre (adv)
against, contrary to
relent (nm)
lingering odor, stench, reek
prestataire (nm)
service provider
boucan (nm)
racket, row, din
fisc (nm)
tax department
vetuste

vetuste (nf)

dilapidated

dilapidation

frelate

frelater

impure

doctor (vb)

dehors
en dehors de
a l’exterieur de
outside (adv)
apart from
outside (prep)
ecorner

ecorne

chip the corner of, ruin (figurative)

dog-eared

egoine (nf)
handsaw
fracasser
smash, shatter
acculer
corner, bring to bay

[accule a la pauvrete]

glousser
chuckle, chortle
ingerence (nf)
interference, butting in
taupe (nf)
mole, spy
frele
frail, fragile
brouiller

se brouiller

turn someone against somebody, come between
cloud, confuse
quarrel
honni
looked down on, disapproved of
faire valoir
point out, make clear
du reste
moreover, besides, in addition.
brimer
harass, victimize, initiate (school, university)
navrer
upset (attrister, desoler)
dismay (consterner)
vocable (nm)
term, root word (linguistics)
name of a saint (religion)
tantot
tantot….tantot
shortly, soon, just now, this afternoon
sometimes (now)…sometimes (now)
magouille (nf)
scheming, skullduggery
bafouer
flout, ridicule, scorn
depetrer
extricate, free
surseoir
delay, postpone, adjourn, reprieve
acheminer
transport, carry, dispatch
interpeller
call out, hail, shout at
stop, question, stop and question, take in for questioning
fesser
spank, kick butt
soupeser
weigh, estimate the weight (or worth) of something
refractaire
resistant, defiant, unyielding, refractory
affubler

affubler (qqn de qch)

deck yourself up in

saddle some with something

preter le flanc a
leave yourself open to criticism, to ask for something (harmful)
cotiser
pay into, contribute to
sevir
hit, strike, clamp down, put your foot down
calquer (sur)
copy, base on, imitate
calquer (sur)
copy, base on, imitate
dissidence (nf)
dissidence, dissent
eraille
hoarse, scratchy, raspy
vaillant
brave, valiant
eraille
hoarse, scratchy, raspy
arracher
wrest, snatch, tear, extract
dechirer
tear, rip
pourvu que (+subjonctif)
provided that
poncif (nm)

poncif (adjective)

common place, cliche

commonplace, banal

bousculer
bump into, jostle, shove

shake up (mp)

racaille (nf)
riff raff, scum
sabordage
scuttling
abordage
boarding (coming on board)
s’ebrouer

?(Il’s s’ebrouent parfois comme une caste au-dessus de la loi.)?

shake, (shake off)
dorloter
pamper, spoil, caress, make a fuss over somebody
contribuable (nm)
taxpayer
magot (nm)
hoard, booty [argent amasse]
devoilement (nm)
unveiling, unmasking
enfanter
give birth to, give rise to
prendre de vitesse
do something ahead of somebody else
[Il m’a pris de vitesse sur ce coupe la.]
relayer
take over from, take turns
mettre en biere
put in a coffin
dresser

dresser le bilan

train, break in, tame

assess take stock of

importer
import, be important, matter
rafle (nm)

rafler

stalk, cob, roundup, raid

grab, nab, make off with, swipe

thesauriser
hoard money
parasitaire
debouche (nm)
outlet
carriere
quarry
leurre (nm)
lure, illusion, decoy
chetif
puny, sickly
assainissement (nm)
purification, sanitation, clean up
denoncer
denounce, inform on, tell on, back out of, renounce
indemnite (nf)
compensation, damages,
riposte (nf)

en riposte

response, retort

in response

deroulement (nm)
proceedings, continuity
prevenu (nm)
accused, defendant
inoui
unheard of, incredible
bancale
precarious, shaky, dubious, dicey, bandy legged, bow-legged
tramer

se tramer

weave (tisser), plot

be hatched, be woven, be afoot

crier haro sur
raise an outcry over
devinette (nf)
riddle
enteriner
ratify, approve, rubber stamp
ponction (nf)
puncture, drain
se solder
end in
fingir
pretend, imitate
ropa (nf)
clothes
solapa (nf)
lapel
resguardar
guard, protect, shelter, shield
bling-bling
The term is used in French traditionally to describe nouveau riche attitudes; such as « wearing expensive suits, stylish sunglasses and conspicuously large wristwatches » or anything that is ostentatious and can be considered of « poor taste ».
branche
trendy, hip, with-it
plate-bande (nf)
flower bed, border
branche (nf)
branch
verrou (nm)
lock
actif (nm)
asset
deboire (nm)
bad after taste, misadventure, misfortune, ‘scrape’ (?)
ne pas aller de main morte
not pull any punches, behave heavy handedly
trainer
drag, hang out, around, hang around in a bar
parasitaire
parasitic
rouer des coups
beat up, rain down blows upon
voies de fait (nplf)
assault and battery
Melpopee
Monotonous chant
Tarauder
Thread (verb)
las, lasse (de)
weary, tired, bored, fed up with
combinaison de travail
overalls, coveralls
lance-pierre
manger au lance-pierres
etre paye au lance-pierre
slingshot
grab a quick bite to eat
to be paid peanuts
sillage (nm)
wake, turbulence
garder le cap
stay on course
decrocher

decrochage scolaire (nm)

draw/drop back (military), land/get (familiar), give up/abandon (familiar), switch off, pick up, take down
dropping out of school
prendre le train en marche
get in on the action, jump on the bandwagon
bras de fer
showdown, power struggle, arm wrestling,
aux abois

etre aux abois

at bay (hunting)

in a desperate situation, in dire straits

tandis que
while, whereas
affluer
converge, come together, flock
contremaitre (nm)
foreman, supervisor
fourgonnette (nf)
delivery van, mini van, people carrier (Que)
aux abois

etre aux abois

at bay (hunting)

in a desperate situation, in dire straits

tandis que
while, whereas
affluer
converge, come together, flock
contremaitre (nm)
foreman, supervisor
fourgonnette (nf)
delivery van, mini van, people carrier (Que)
civiere (nf)
stretcher
camouflet (nm)
affront, (vexation humilante) (poking?)
truchement (nm)

par le truchement de

spokesperson

through the intervention of

s’insurger
rebel, rise up, rail against
accroc (nm)
tear (something torn), hitch, snag
trisomie (nf)
Downs syndrome. mongolism, trisomy
bringuebalante
carrying about, shaking about, (lively?)
fanion (nm)
club flag, pennant
baraque (nm)
shack, shanty
contreplaque (nm)
plywood
farandole (nf)
dancing procession, dance
a la ronde
around (nearby)
lopin (nm)
patch, plot (of land)
arrondir
increase, round up, make even
bicoque (nf) familier
shack, dump
tole, (taule) (nf)
sheet metal
d’autant que
especially as, particularly as, as far as
retrecir
contract, shrink
racheter
buy, buy back, buy up
attrait (nm)
attraction, appeal, attractive trait
mazout (nm)
fuel oil
foncier (nm, adj)
real estate, property (adjective)
en avance
early (before expected)
engagement (nm)
commitment
asservissement (nm)
enslavement
lampadaire (nm)
street lamp, street light
lampadaire (nm)
street lamp, street light
pourfendeur (nm)
fierce opponent, sworn enemy
angelisme
desire for purity, do-gooderism
integrisme (nm)
fundamentalism
plebisciter
vote in (by a large majority?), elect
triompher
triumph, prevail, win decisively
se pretendre
present oneself as, pretend to be
endogame
endogamous
happer
snatch, hit by a car
frequentable
respectable, desirable, socially acceptable
infrequentable
(of a person nobody wants anything to do with), (of someone regarded as a pariah)
soulever
raise, raise (subject), arouse, whip up
arrache-pied, d’arrache-pied
relentlessly
achalande
having many clients, well-stocked
Se couloir
See oneself as, purport to be
Fluet, fouette
Thin, slender
Embraced
Engage, put into gear
ramper
crawl, grovel
huard
loon
malmener
mistreat, abuse
Terrain (nm)
Compost
Fertile gound
Terreau (nm)
Compost,
Fertile ground, breeding ground
Perron (nm)
Front porch, front steps
Tablier (NMR)
Apron, oreralls
affaissement (nm)
subsidence, fall, collapse (also metaphorical)
preconiser
advise, recommend, encourage
instaurer
institute, establish
carence (nf)
deficiency, lack, insolvency
cotisation (nf)
subscription, dues, contribution
sous-entendre
imply, hint, suggest, suppose
commode (nf)

commode (adjective)

chest of drawers

handy, practical, convenient, easy-going, accomodating

ritournelle (nf)
refrain, chorus
federateur (adjective)
coordinating (qui rassemble)
encadrement (nm)
frame, framework, supervison, control
guichet (nm)
counter, box-office, grill, hatch
prendre (tout son) sens
be fully realized, take on its full meaning
traquer
track, hunt down
fossoyeur (nm)
grave digger, destroyer
arrimer
tie up, lash down, tie (connect) (metaphorically)
roublard
wily, crafty
hisser
raise, hoist, haul
allocataire (nmf)
beneficiary
reperer

se reperer

notice, detect, spot, pick out

get your bearings

enfiler
put on, pull on, slip on, enter, take (street, etc)
chenille (nf)
caterpillar, tufty cord (carpets etc) track, low tunnel
bourde (nf)
gaff, blunder, cock-up, lie / fib (familiar)
rainette (nf)
edulcoler
sweeten, tone down, bowdlerize
portee (nf)
litter, gestation, range, reach, impact, significance, stave, staff
acharne
bitter, fierce, tireless, unrelenting, tenacious, unrelenting
outre, outre (?)
outrageous, unconventional
honnir
despise, hold in contempt
embellir
ornament, embellish, adorn
Stumper (NR)
Debauchery ( debauche luxure)
Engueuler
Tell off bawl out
depister
track down, discover, detect
lezarder

se lezarder, lezarder

bask in the sun, lounge, lay about

crack

envergure (nf)
wingspan, scope, range
edulcorer
sweeten, tone down, bowdlerize
oberer
burden with debt
bosser
work (familiar)
prealable
preliminary