Pocket Oxford-Hachette French Dictionary 1 - Third edition French English English French
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PFD Prelims 02 19/4/05 7:36 pm Page i
Pocket
Oxford–Hachette
French Dictionary
Third edition
French > English
English > French
Chief Editor
Marie-Hélène Corréard
1PFD Prelims 02 19/4/05 7:36 pm Page iii
iii
Preface
This new edition of the Pocket Oxford- All grammatical terms used are
Hachette French Dictionary has been explained in a glossary at the back of
extensively updated to reflect recent the dictionary, and French verbs are
additions to both the French and cross-referenced to a set of verb tables.
English languages, with the needs of
New features of the dictionary
both the general and school user in
include an expanded and updated A – Z
mind. The dictionary provides
of French life and culture, providing
comprehensive coverage of core
information on contemporary French
vocabulary across a broad spectrum
society, a calendar of traditions,
of contemporary written and spoken
festivals and holidays in France, a new
language, incorporating many
section on text messaging, and a
idiomatic phrases and expressions.
practical guide to writing letters in
The wordlist is further enhanced by
French. A series of sample letters
the addition of new words and phrases
illustrates the differences between
generated by recent developments in
French and English usage, highlighting
information technology, science, and
important features of style and format
popular culture, for effective and up-to-
in a variety of situations.
date communication.
Designed to meet the needs of a wide
Essential information on grammar,
range of users, from the student at
style, and pronunciation is provided
intermediate level and above to the
in a convenient and accessible format,
enthusiastic traveller or business
making the dictionary an ideal
professional, the Pocket Oxford-Hachette
reference tool and study aid. The
Dictionary is an invaluable practical
user is guided in selecting appropriate
resource for learners of contemporary,
translations by clear examples of usage
idiomatic French at the start of the
and construction and by information on
twenty-first century.
the register of language, where
required. The Editors/ ( ) {j } / _ g / / g
109 DDASS > deÂbonnaire . . . .
............
DDASS /das/ nf (abbr = Direction (b) bon d! (colloq) good riddance!
deÂpartementale de l'action deÂbarrasser /debaWase/ [1] 1vtr (a) to
sanitaire et sociale) regional social clear (out)
services department (b) d [qn] de to free [sb] from ¬complex;
de (d' before vowel or mute h) /d@, d/ d qn (de son manteau) to take sb's coat
2 Note You will ®nd translations for expressions 2se deÂbarrasser v re¯ (+ v eÃtre) se d
such as d'abord, de travers, pomme de terre, de to get rid of; to dispose of
IDIOMS d le plancher (colloq) to clear off
chemin de fer etc, at the entries abord,
travers, pomme and chemin etc. (colloq) d
deÂbat /deba/ nm debate
1prep (a) from; venir d Paris to come from deÂbattre /debatW/ [61] 1vtr to negotiate
Paris; il est d peÁre italien his father is 2deÂbattre de or sur v+prep (a) d de
Italian or sur to discuss
(b) by; un poeÁme d Victor Hugo a poem by (b) d de or sur to debate
Victor Hugo 3se deÂbattre v re¯ (+ v eÃtre) to struggle
(c) of; les chapeaux d Paul Paul's hats; le 20
du mois the 20th of the month; deux heures
deÂbauche /deboS/ nf (a) debauchery
(b) profusion
d'attente a two-hour wait; deux heures d
libres two hours free deÂbaucher /deboSe/ [1] vtr (a) to corrupt
(d) than; plus/moins d dix more/less than (b) to lay [sb] off
ten (c) (colloq) to tempt [sb] away
(e) in; d'un ton monocorde in a monotone deÂbile /debil/ 1adj (colloq) daft (colloq)
(f ) with; pousser qch du pied to push sth 2nmf d mental (Med) retarded person
aside with one's foot deÂbilite /debilite/ nf (a) debility
(g) travailler d nuit to work at night; ne rien (b) (colloq) stupidity
faire d la journeÂe to do nothing all day deÂbiner (colloq) /debine/ [1] 1vtr to
(h) eÃtre content d faire to be happy to do badmouth (colloq)
2det de, de l', de la, du some; any; voulez- 2se deÂbiner v re¯ (+ v eÃtre) to clear off
vous d la bieÁre? would you like some beer?; (colloq); to make oneself scarce (colloq)
je n'ai pas d'argent I haven't got any money deÂbit /debi/ nm (a) debit; la somme est
de /de/ nm (a) dice; les ds sont jeteÂs the inscrite au d the sum has been debited
die is cast (b) (when speaking) delivery
(b) d (aÁ coudre) thimble (c) (of river) rate of ¯ow
DEA /de@a/ nm (abbr = diploÃme (d) (of liquid) ¯ow; (of gas) output
d'eÂtudes approfondies) postgraduate (e) (Comput) haut d broadband
certi®cate ( prior to doctoral thesis) 2d de boissons bar
deÂambulateur /deA~bylat9W/ nm deÂbiter /debite/ [1] vtr (a) to debit
zimmer¨ (frame) (b) to reel [sth] off; d des beÃtises to talk a
deÂambuler /deA~byle/ [1] vi to wander lot of nonsense
(about) (c) to cut [sth] up
deÂbaÃcle /debAkl/ nf (a) (Mil) rout deÂbiteur, -trice /debit9W, tWis/ 1adj
(b) (®gurative) collapse compte d debit account; pays d debtor
nation
deÂballage /debalaZ/ nm (colloq) jumble; 2nm,f debtor
outpouring
deÂblayer /debleje/ [21] vtr (a) to clear
deÂballer /debale/ [1] vtr (a) to unpack away ¬earth, snow
(b) to display
(b) to clear ¬place
deÂbandade /debA~dad/ nf (a) stampede deÂbloquer /deblOke/ [1] 1vtr (a) to
(b) disarray unlock ¬steering wheel; to unjam
deÂbarbouiller /debaWbuje/ [1] 1vtr to ¬mechanism
wash (b) to unfreeze ¬prices; to end the deadlock
2se deÂbarbouiller v re¯ (+ v eÃtre) to in ¬situation
wash one's face (c) to make [sth] available ¬credit
deÂbarcadeÁre /debaWkadEW/ nm jetty 2vi (colloq) to be off one's rocker (colloq)
deÂbardeur /debaWd9W/ nm tank top deÂboires /debwaW/ nm pl
deÂbarquement /debaWk@mA~/ nm (a) disappointments
(a) (of goods) unloading (b) trials, dif®culties
(b) (of passengers) disembarkation (c) setbacks
(c) (Mil) landing deÂboiser /debwaze/ [1] vtr to deforest
deÂbarquer /debaWke/ [1] 1vtr to unload deÂboõÃter /debwate/ [1] 1vtr to
¬goods disconnect ¬tubes
2vi (a) to disembark 2vi ¬car to pull out
(b) (Mil) to land 3se deÂboõÃter v re¯ (+ v eÃtre) se d le
(c) (colloq) to turn up (colloq) (chez qn at sb's genou to dislocate one's knee
place) deÂbonnaire /debOnEW/ adj good-
deÂbarras /debaWa/ nm inv (a) junk room humoured (GB); kindly
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476
A–Z of French Life and Culture
Académie française A learned body, founded by Cardinal Richelieu in
1634, whose main role nowadays is to monitor new developments in the
French language. It is not always taken entirely seriously by the public at
large. Its 40 members are elected for life on the basis of their contribution
to scholarship or literature, and are known as ‘les Immortels’.
Agence France Presse O PRESSE
Culture
agrégation This qualification, attained through competitive
examination or concours, entitles the holder to teach at the highest level
in secondary and tertiary education.
Air France Created in 1933, the French national airline
merged in 2004 with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to become the
world’s largest airline group by turnover. The French state no
longer holds a majority stake in the group. The company once
operated five supersonic Concorde jets, but the last ever Air
France Concorde passenger flight was from New York to Paris
on 31 May 2003.
Alliance Française A private organization that aims to
spread awareness of French language and culture. It has
centres in cities throughout the world, providing language
classes and a variety of cultural activities.
Allocations familiales Known colloquially as les allocs, les
allocations familiales (family allowances) are paid to any French family
with two or more children. A range of other allocations (benefits) are also
available: for single parents, to help with childcare, to pay towards
housing, etc.
Alps, The A mountain range that runs north to south along the border
between France, Switzerland, and Italy. It is 350 km (219 miles) long and
50–60 km (31–37.5 miles) wide. The highest peak in western Europe, Mont
Blanc (4,808 m [15,774 ft]) lies in the Alps, straddling the French/Italian
border. The Alpine region is home to many popular ski resorts.
Alsace Lying on the frontier of Germany and Switzerland in the northeast
of France, Alsace has long been the object of territorial disputes between
Germany and France. French during the RÉVOLUTION, German after the
Franco-German war (1871), French in 1918, German in 1940, the region has
been French again since 1945. Since 1949, Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace,
has been the seat of the conseil de l’europe. Alsatian white wines are
highly regarded, as is its traditional cabbage dish, choucroute (sauerkraut).PFD centrematter part 2 01 19/4/05 9:18 am Page 477
477 A–Z of French Life and Culture
année scolaire School holidays are fixed nationally, and each académie
(local education authority or school district) falls into one of three zones,
so that the starts and ends of holidays are staggered. The year lasts from
early September to late June, and main breaks occur in early November
(Toussaint), at Christmas and New Year, in February and in Spring.
ANPE The national agency providing services for the unemployed as well
as for employers seeking workers. In order to qualify for unemployment
benefits (allocations chômage), job hunters must have been unemployed for
at least six months. Benefits, paid by the ASSEDIC (Association pour
l’emploi dans l’industrie et le commerce), are calculated according to the last
Culture
salary earned by the job seeker and the duration of his/her period of
unemployment. In the initial period of unemployment, a job seeker
receives a high percentage of his/her last salary. This figure is gradually
reduced to the point where the job seeker no longer qualifies for benefits
and is known as a chômeur/-euse en fin de droits.
antisémitisme O RACISME
Arc de Triomphe This Paris monument stands at the centre of
the radiating spokes formed by 12 avenues including the
champs-élysées. It was commissioned by napoléon to
commemorate his victories, and completed in 1836. In 1921 it
became a war memorial, and the site of the tomb of the
‘unknown soldier’ ; a flame is lit there every evening in
memory of those who have fallen in battle.
architecture Since the 1970s, the French state has promoted
several major architectural projects, particularly in Paris,
including the 1977 Pompidou Centre (also known as
BEAUBOURG), the glass pyramid of the Louvre designed by American
architect I. M. Pei and built in 1989, the Grande Arche de la Défense in
western Paris, and the Institut du Monde Arabe, designed by Jean Nouvel.
In 2004 the Millau viaduct, the tallest in the world, was opened by the
French president, Jacques Chirac. Designed by English architect Lord
Norman Foster, the 2.5 km (1.6 mile) long, 340 m (1,122 ft) high structure
was dubbed ‘the bridge in the clouds’.
Ariane The name of the European Space Agency’s rockets, produced and
operated by the private company Ariane Espace and launched from Kourou
in French Guiana (Guyane française). The Ariane rockets have been used to
put commercial satellites into space, but have met with mixed fortunes.
Ariane 5-ECA, whose maiden flight ended in an explosion, is being
relaunched; it can carry 10 tonnes of payload into geostationary orbit.
Armistice O FRENCH TRADITIONS, FESTIVALS, AND HOLIDAYS
arrondissement A subdivision of a DÉPARTEMENT. Each arrondissement
has a sous-préfet representing the state administration at local level. InPFD centrematter part 3 02 19/4/05 7:50 am Page 510
510
Letter-writing in French
Holiday postcard
■ Beginnings (informal): Cher is used for a ■ Address: On an envelope Mr, Mrs and Miss
man, Chère for a woman. A letter to two can be abbreviated to M., Mme, Mlle,
males or to a male and female begins with although the full forms are considered
Chers. For two female correspondents: preferable in more formal letters. There is
Chères Madeleine et Hélène. For friends and no direct equivalent for Ms. If you do not
relatives: Chers amis, Chers cousins, etc. know a woman’s marital status use
For a family: Chers tous. Madame (Mme).
Road names such as rue, avenue, place
are not generally given capital letters.
The name of the town comes after the
postcode and on the same line.
Letters
14.7.2005
Cher Alexandre,
Grosses bises d’Edimbourg! Cela fait trois jours M. A. Pilnard
que nous sommes ici et nous n’avons pas encore vu
la pluie! Espérons que ça va durer. La vieille 38 rue Glacière
ville est très belle et du château on a une vue 75013 Paris
splendide jusqu’à l’estuaire. Et en Normandie,
comment ça va?
A bientôt pour des retrouvailles parisiennes,
Marie et Dominique
■ Endings (informal):
Bien amicalement,
Amitiés; A bientôt =
see you soon./ ( ) {j } / g _ / / g
737 mind-blowing > mirror . . . .
.......................................
d about sth reÂserver son jugement sur qch; (b) ¬sounds se confondre (with aÁ); ¬smells,
to know one's own d avoir des ideÂes bien aÁ feelings se meÃler (with aÁ)
soi; to speak one's d dire ce qu'on a aÁ dire miniature 1n miniature f
2vtr (a) surveiller ¬manners, language; 2adj (gen) miniature; ¬dog, horse nain/-e
faire attention aÁ ¬hazard minicab n (GB) taxi m (non agreÂeÂ)
(b) I don't d cËa m'est eÂgal, cËa ne me minidisc n minidisque m
deÂrange pas; I don't d the cold le froid ne
me deÂrange pas; I don't d cats, but I prefer minimalist adj minimaliste
dogs je n'ai rien contre les chats, mais je minimum 1n minimum m (of de)
preÂfeÁre les chiens; will they d us being late? 2adj minimum, minimal/-e
est-ce qu'ils seront faÃcheÂs si nous sommes mining 1n exploitation f minieÁre
en retard?; would you d keeping my seat for 2adj ¬industry, town minier/-ieÁre;
me? est-ce que cËa vous ennuierait de garder ¬accident de mine
ma place?; I wouldn't d a glass of wine je mini-skirt n mini-jupe f
prendrais volontiers un verre de vin; if you minister 1n (a) (GB) ministre m; d of or
don't d si cela ne vous fait rien; never d for Defence, Defence d ministre de la
(don't worry) ne t'en fais pas; (it doesn't matter) DeÂfense
peu importe; he can't afford an apartment, (b) (clergyman) ministre m du culte
never d a big house il ne peut pas se 2vi to d to donner des soins aÁ ¬person; to
permettre un appartement encore moins d to sb's needs pourvoir aux besoins de qn
une grande maison minister of state n (GB) ministre m
(c) s'occuper de ¬animal, children; tenir deÂleÂgueÂ
¬shop
ministry n (GB) ministeÁre m
3in mind phr I have something in d for
this evening j'ai une ideÂe pour ce soir; to mink n vison m
bear sth in d (remember) ne pas oublier qch; minor 1n (Law) mineur/-e m/f
(take into account) prendre qch en compte 2adj (gen, Mus) mineur/-e; ¬injury, burn
IDIOMS to read sb's d lire dans les penseÂes leÂger/-eÁre; d road route secondaire
de qn; to see sth in one's d's eye imaginer minority n minorite f; to be in the d eÃtre
qch; to have a d of one's own savoir ce
qu'on veut
en minoriteÂ
minstrel n meÂnestrel m
m
mind-blowing adj (colloq) mint 1n (a) (herb) menthe f
eÂpoustou¯ant/-e (colloq) (b) (sweet) bonbon m aÁ la menthe
mind-boggling adj (colloq) stupe®ant/-e (c) (for coins) hoÃtel m des Monnaies
2adj in d condition aÁ l'eÂtat neuf
mindless adj ¬person, programme beÃte; 3vtr (a) frapper ¬coin
¬work abrutissant/-e; ¬vandalism (b) forger ¬word, expression
gratuit/-e; ¬task machinal/-e
minuet n menuet m
mine1 pron minus 1n (a) (in mathematics) moins m
2 Note In French, possessive pronouns re¯ect (b) (drawback) inconveÂnient m
the gender and number of the noun they are 2adj ¬symbol, button moins; ¬number,
standing for. So mine is translated by le mien, la quantity, value neÂgatif/-ive; d sign signe
mienne, les miens, les miennes, according to moins
what is being referred to. 3prep (a) moins; what is 20 d 8? combien
font 20 moins 8?; it is d 15 (degrees) il fait
his car is red but d is blue sa voiture est
moins 15 (degreÂs)
rouge mais la mienne est bleue; which
(glass) is d? lequel (de ces verres) est le
(b) (without) sans
mien or est aÁ moi?; his children are older minuscule adj minuscule
than d ses enfants sont plus aÃgeÂs que les minute1 1n minute f; ®ve ds past ten
miens; the blue car is d la voiture bleue est dix heures cinq; it's ®ve ds' walk away c'est
aÁ moi; she's a friend of d c'est une amie aÁ aÁ cinq minutes aÁ pied; the d I heard the
moi; it's not d ce n'est pas aÁ moi news deÁs que j'ai appris la nouvelle; any d
now d'une minute aÁ l'autre; at the last d aÁ
mine2 1n mine f
la dernieÁre minute
2vtr (a) extraire ¬gems, mineral; exploiter
¬area
2minutes n pl compte-rendu m
(b) (Mil) miner ¬area minute2 adj ¬particle minuscule;
¬quantity in®me; ¬risk, variation minime
mine®eld n champ m de mines; (®gurative)
terrain m mine minute hand n aiguille f des minutes
miner n mineur m miracle n miracle m; to work or perform
ds faire des miracles
mineral 1n (substance, class) mineÂral m; miraculous adj (a) ¬escape, recovery
(for extraction) minerai m miraculeux/-euse
2adj mineÂral/-e; d ore minerai m (b) ¬speed, strength prodigieux/-ieuse
mineral water n eau f mineÂrale mirror 1n (a) (gen) miroir m, glace f; (Aut)
mingle vi (a) to d with se meÃler aÁ ¬crowd, reÂtroviseur m
guests (b) (®gurative) re¯et m >
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