HEATH’S
FRENCH AND ENGLISH
DICTIONARY

COMPILED FROM THE
BEST AUTHORITIES IN BOTH LANGUAGES

REVISED AND CONSIDERABLY ENLARGED

BY
JAMES BOÏELLE, B. A. (Univ. Gall.)
OFFICIER D’ACADÉMIE, LATELY EXAMINER IN FRENCH IN THE UNIVERSITY
OF LONDON; CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF “LA SOCIÉTÉ
DES GENS DE LETTRES DE FRANCE,” ETC., ETC.

AIDED BY
de V. PAYEN-PAYNE
ASSISTANT-EXAMINER IN FRENCH IN THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON
PRINCIPAL OF KENSINGTON COACHING COLLEGE
AUTHOR OF “FRENCH IDIOMS AND PROVERBS”

D. C. HEATH & CO., Publishers
BOSTON, NEW YORK, CHICAGO

COPYRIGHT, 1903, BY WILLIAM T. BELDING.
ENTERED AT STATIONERS’ HALL, LONDON.

PREFACE
TO REVISED EDITION.

When I was asked to undertake the preparation of this French Dictionary, I had no idea of the formidable nature of the task that lay before me. It was obvious, of course, that a very great deal would have to be done to bring up to date a dictionary of a living language that is ever growing, and in which new words and new meanings of words are being coined almost daily. But I found, in the course of the four and a half years during which I have been engaged upon the work, that it assumed proportions altogether undreamt of, and that I was virtually producing a new work.

Perhaps I may be permitted to direct attention to some of the features which distinguish the new edition.

Many thousands of new words and phrases, idioms and idiomatic expressions, proverbs and proverbial expressions, have been included. In a great many instances chapter and verse have been given. Two hundred columns of print have been added to the book.

For the words in the French-English part, I have closely followed the smaller Littré as well as Bescherelle, and have taken special care to give, as far as the compass of the Dictionary would allow, illustrative examples of the many and various meanings conveyed by the words under review. These various meanings have also been classified, as far as possible, under their respective heads. In the English-French portion I have, as far as the selection of words is concerned, closely followed the lines of Cassell’s English Dictionary. The latest classical, general, scientific, commercial, naval, and military terms are incorporated. In this part, too, the “notation” of the words has been carefully marked throughout and the pronunciation revised.

Among other features of the work which may justly, I think, be accounted improvements, I may mention the following, viz.: the different prepositions governing verbs have been printed in heavier type—thus simplifying one of the greatest difficulties of the language; the pronunciation of the words, where necessary, has been carefully indicated; and the list of geographical names of countries and places has been largely added to.

The work has occupied me, as I have said, for more than four years; but the process of revision has been to me most interesting, and while the labour expended has been far greater than anything I could have anticipated, I trust that the result will give satisfaction to an even larger circle of readers than was obtained by previous editions.

J. B.

ON FRENCH PRONUNCIATION.

Note.—The rules given below must be considered as general. Some are subject to more or less exceptions, which, for the sake of brevity, have not been mentioned, but they will all be found clearly and fully noticed in their respective places.

ALPHABET.

FRENCH VOWEL SOUNDS.

The Simple, or Vowel sounds, in the French language, are as follows:—

Y, when alone, or when preceded or followed by a consonant, is pronounced like an i; except in pays, paysan, paysage. When placed between two vowels, it performs the office of two i’s, and is always preceded by a, e, o, or u. When preceded by a or e, it unites its first i with this vowel, and sounds è, as in rayon, which is pronounced rè-ion; when preceded by o, its first i is sounded in conjunction with o, like wa in the English word wag, as in joyeux, which is pronounced joa-ieû; and when preceded by u, its own two i’s preserve their natural sound, as in appuyer, which is pronounced appui-ié.

A is long in the termination aille, except in médăille, je travăille, détăille, émăille, băille (I give). It is also long in ation, as, nation, admiration, oblation; pronounce therefore, pāille, limāille, canāille, nātion, admirātion, oblātion, etc.

In the terminations of the imperfect of the subjunctive of verbs of the first conjugation, the a is always short; as que je parlăsse, que je donnăsse.

NASAL SOUNDS.

The nasal syllables are: aim, ain, am, an, aon; ean, eim, ein, em, en, eon, eun; im, in; om, on; um, un; ym.

Am, an, ean, are pronounced like an, without exception; as ambition, vendant, songeant. Em and en are also pronounced like an, as in emploi, empire, envie; but not always. In words derived from foreign languages, they are pronounced liked ème, ène; as Jerusalem, hymen. In words terminating in en or ein, and in their derivatives, en is pronounced like in; as mien, Chrétien, Chrétienté; and in the verbs tenir, venir, and their derivatives, en is sounded like in; as tiens, viens.

In femme, em is pronounced like am.

Im, in, aim, ain, ein, are all pronounced like in. The i, however, keeps its natural sound in words taken from foreign languages, as in Sélim, Ephraim, which are pronounced as if the m were followed by a silent e; in all words in which in is followed by a vowel; as in-animé, in-octavo, in-odore, in-humain; and in the beginning of words commencing with imm and inn.

Om, on, are pronounced like on; as in pont, tombe; complet, donjon. Automne is pronounced ôtonn.

Aen, aon, ean are sounded as an in the following words: Caen, Laon, taon, faon, paon, Jean.

Eon is sounded on when following g: mangeons, plongeon.

Um, un, eun, are pronounced like un; as in parfum, importun, à jeun.

Un is, however, sounded on in a few words of foreign origin: punch, de profundis.

Um is pronounced like ome in words of Latin origin, as duumvir, triumvir; factum, factotum.

CONSONANTS.

B has the same sound as in English; as bal, ball. It is pronounced in the middle and at the end of words.

C has the sound of k before a, o, u, l, n, r, except when it has a cedilla under it, in which case it is pronounced like s, as reçu. It is also pronounced like s before e, i, and y. Ch has the sound of sh, except when it is followed by a consonant, in which case it is pronounced like k; as in chronologie.

D has the same sound as in English. It is sounded in the middle of words, as in adverbe. When it is final, and carried to the following word, it sounds like t, as in grand homme, which is pronounced gran-tomme.

F is pronounced like the same letter in English, as in fleur, flower. It is sounded at the end of words; but in neuf it is pronounced like v when followed by a word beginning with a vowel or h mute, as in neuf enfants, which words are pronounced neu-van-fan.

G has the hard sound of g in the English word go, before a, o, u, l, m, r, as in gomme, gris, gum, gray. But it has always the soft sound of s as in pleasure before e, i, y, as in génie, gîte.

When combined with n in the middle of words, it has a liquid sound, somewhat similar to that of ni in the English word onion, as régner, saigner, agneau, compagnon, etc. Every word in which this sound occurs is preceded by a star (*) throughout this work. Whenever gn is not liquid, it sounds as in the English word ignorant.

H is sounded with a guttural impulse, when aspirated, as in héros, hero. When mute it has no use but that of showing the etymology of the word, as in honneur, honor. It is always silent after t, as in méthode, arithmétique, which are pronounced métod, a-rit-mé-tik. The aspirated h is marked throughout this work with a dagger (†).

J has always the sound of s in pleasure, and is subject to no irregularity.

K has always a hard sound, as in the English word king, and is subject to no irregularity.

L has two sounds. The first is precisely the same as l in the English word lily. The second is liquid. The liquid l, whether double or single, is always preceded by i. It is similar to the sound of the last i in William.

It is to be remarked, that i, followed by l or ll, and preceded by another vowel, is always silent in pronunciation; it only serves to indicate the liquid sound of the l, as in paille, soleil, patrouille, which ought to be pronounced pâ-i, solé-i, patrou-i. But when i is not preceded by another vowel, as in fille, it retains its natural sound, and serves at the same time to indicate the liquid sound of l. And here in fille, pronounced fi-i, we find both the i natural and the i which stands for ll.

Whenever i begins a word, as in illusion, the l’s are never liquid. The liquid l is marked throughout this work with a star (*).

P has the sound of the same letter in English, as in peine, pain. When combined with h, it has the sound of f, as in philosophe, philosopher.

Q has the hard sound of k, as in the English word quaker. Whether initial or medial, q is always followed by u, which is not sounded except in a few words that are noticed in the course of this work.

R has the same sound as in English, but is articulated much more strongly, as in rivière, river. It is always sounded at the end of words, when preceded by the vowels a, i, o, u. In substantives, adjectives, and verbs ending in er, it is silent, unless it is followed by a word beginning with a vowel or h mute, as in dernier ouvrage, which is pronounced dernié-rouvraj.

S has two sounds. The first is hissing, as in the English word sister; the second is soft, as in the English word please. It has uniformly the hissing sound at the beginning of words, and the soft between two vowels. Both sounds occur in saison. It preserves its hissing sound in compound words, as in parasol, vraisemblable; and when it happens to be sounded at the end of words, as in Pallas, Brutus, vis.

When s final is joined to the following word, it is always articulated like z, as in dans un cas important, which must be pronounced dān-zun-kâ-zin-por-tān.

T has two sounds; one hard, as in the English word tutor, and the other like the hissing s, as in sister. Both occur in situation, which is pronounced si-tuā-sion. It has the hissing sound before i, connected with some other following vowel or vowels, as in patience, factieux, which are pronounced pasian-s, fak-sieû.

When t, however, is immediately preceded by s, it preserves the hard sound, as in bastion, question, which are pronounced bas-tion, kès-tion.

X has generally the sound of ks. In all words beginning with x or ex, followed by a vowel, it has the sound of gz, as in Xavier, exil, which are pronounced gzavié, èg-zil. When final, it is joined to the following word, and sounds like z, as in beaux yeux, dix hommes, which are pronounced bô-zieû, dî-zom. X has the sound of ss in Auxerre, Auxonne, and Bruxelles.

FINAL CONSONANTS.

The final consonants that are sounded are b, c, f, k, l, m, q, r.

The final consonants that are not sounded in words which stand alone, or terminate a sentence, are, d, g, h, n, p, r (in the termination er only), s, t, x, z.

J and v are never final.

D is pronounced like t when joined to the following word, as in quand il parle, which must be pronounced kān-til parle.

G is pronounced like k, as in sang impur, which is pronounced sān-kin-pur.

P is pronounced only in Alep, cap, Gap, cep, jalap; and in beaucoup, trop, when those two words come before a vowel. In cep de vigne, the p is silent.

R, preceded by e, is frequently silent in conversation before a vowel, but it must always be sounded in poetry, unless it terminates the verse.

S, before a vowel, sounds like z, as in nous avons eu, which must be pronounced nou-zavōn-zu. S is sounded in aloès, bibus, blocus, chorus, choléramorbus, dervis, florès, gratis, jadis, laps, maïs, mars, orémus, ours, rébus, relaps, Reims, Rubens, sinus, en sus, vasistas, etc. It is silent in Jésus-Christ, but sounded in le Christ.

T is generally pronounced before a vowel, except when it is preceded by a sounded consonant, as in effort étonnant, pronounced é-for-éto-nan; in quatre-vingt-un it is not pronounced, but it is sounded in vingt et un. In all plural nouns, and in the conjunction et; also before a vowel in fort, adjective, it is silent, but it is sounded in fort, adverb. Final t is also sounded in brut, déficit, dot, mat, exact, fat, infect, intact, net, rapt, subit, tact, toast, transit, zénith, etc. It is not heard in Jésus-Christ, though it is sounded in le Christ.

LIST OF THE NOUNS OF DOUBLE GENDER EXISTING IN
THE FRENCH LANGUAGE.

FOOTNOTES

[1] Some grammars and dictionaries give ange de mer, angel-fish, as feminine, but it is an error; ange is masculine in all its acceptations.—(Acad.)

[2] In the language of botany this word is sometimes used in the masculine.—(Acad.)

[3] In the sense of pirate, this word has no accent: capre.

[4] Some grammarians and lexicographers give ébène, in the figurative sense of black color, as masculine, but it is an error; ébène is feminine even when used figuratively.—(Acad.)

[5] Voltaire used this word in the feminine, in the sense of a small sheet of paper; but it is contrary to etymology, and even to common sense. The French Academy does not give this acceptation.

[6] When it means forest, its e has a circumflex accent: forêt.

[7] The French Academy gives to jujube (fruit) the feminine gender; but it is contrary to general present usage.

[8] French mechanicians give to this noun, in the sense of tackle, the masculine gender.

[9] This word has never in French the meaning of room, apartment, for the transaction of business.

[10] Ombre, card game, is also spelt hombre.

[11] Pâque, or Pâques, Christian religion, is often used in the plural, and is then feminine. Pâque, Jewish religion, is always feminine, and never used in the plural.

[12] When it means a coin, it is also spelt stater.

TABLE OF IRREGULAR AND DEFECTIVE VERBS.

The Imperfect of the Indicative, the Conditional, the Imperative, and the Imperfect of the Subjunctive, are wanting in this Table. These four tenses are formed as follows:—

The imperfect of the indicative is regularly formed from the present participle by changing ant into ais, as: parl-ant, je parl-ais; finiss-ant, je finiss-ais, &c.

The conditional has always the same root as the future; so that the first person of the future being known, it is easy to form the conditional, as: je parlerai, je parlerai-s; je finirai, je finirai-s.

The imperative is always regularly formed from the present of the indicative, by suppressing the pronouns, as: je parle, imperative, parle; except in the verbs avoir, être, and savoir. The third person singular and plural of the imperative are always the same as in the present of the subjunctive, and belong to that tense.

The imperfect of the subjunctive is always regularly formed from the preterit indicative by adding se, etc., to the second person singular, as: tu parlas, que je parlas-se; tu finis, que je finis-se; tu reçus, que je reçus-se; tu vendis, que je vendis-se.

FOOTNOTES

[1] Advenir is more often used.

[2] The verb faire is generally used to conjugate this verb; as, faire bouillir, &c., except in 3d pers. singular and plural when used “directly”: As, l’eau bout-elle? does the water boil? Ces pommes de terre bouillent-elles? Do these potatoes boil?

[3] The imperfect of the indicative, je défaillais, is used.

[4] This verb is seldom used but in the preterit, the compound tenses, and in the infinitive after another verb.

[5] The infinitive is only used in the phrase sans coup férir, without striking a blow.

[6] The imperfect of the indicative, je gisais, &c., is used.

[7] This verb is seldom used but in the infinitive present, and in the compound tenses.

[8] Used only in familiar conversation, and in the infinitive after aller, venir, envoyer.

[9] Used only in the third persons. When it means “to gush,” or (of a horse) to serve a mare, it is conjugated like finir.

[10] Used as a law term only.

[11] Seldom used but in the infinitive.

[12] Used as a law term only.

[13] Used as a law term only.

[14] Imperfect of the indicative: je déchoyais, &c.

[15] Used generally in the third person only.

[16] Il fallait is used. No imperative.

[17] Je peux is also used. No imperative.

[18] Only used in the infinitive, in the compound tenses, and in the imperfect of the subjunctive.

[19] Used in the infinitive only.

[20] Imperative: sache, sachons, sachez. Je ne sache is rhetorically used in the first person of the indicative present. Ex.: “Je ne sache rien de plus grand et de plus beau” (V. Hugo). The imperfect of the indicative is je savais, &c.

[21] Used in the third person only. No compound tenses.

[22] Used in the two participles only.

[23] No imperative.

[24] The second person plural of the imperative is veuillez, please to.

[25] Used only in the infinitive, and always with the verb faire.

[26] Imperfect of the indicative il bruyait, ils bruyaient.

[27] Used in all the compound tenses.

[28] Used in painting only.

[29] Used only in the infinitive and compound tenses.

[30] The verb faire is used to supply the persons and tenses that are wanting; as, nous faisons frire, &c.

LIST OF IRREGULAR AND DEFECTIVE VERBS,
CONJUGATED AFTER THE VERBS IN THE FOREGOING TABLE.

FOOTNOTES

[1] Only recroître takes a circumflex on its past participle.

EXPLANATION OF THE SIGNS USED IN THIS WORK.

* Represents the liquid sounds of gn, l, or ll.

† Signifies that the h is aspirated.

— Indicates the repetition of the same word. (—) Indicates the plural of foreign and compound nouns when it is like the singular.

(—s) Indicates the plural of foreign nouns when it is formed by adding s.

When the plural of foreign and compound nouns is formed by changing the final letter or letters, the whole plural form is given. Thus, e.g., (Lazaroni), plural of Lazarone; (—-amiraux), plural of vice-admiral.

(—s-—s), or (—s-—x), or (—x-—x), or (—x-—s) Indicate the plural of compound nouns when it is formed by adding s or x to each component.

(—s-—) or (—x-—) Indicate the plural of compound nouns when it is formed by adding s or x to the first component only.

(—-—s) or (—-—x) Indicate the plural of compound nouns when it is formed by adding s or x to the second component only.

(n.s.) Indicates foreign and compound nouns not used in the singular.

(n.p.) Indicates foreign and compound nouns not used in the plural.

- Before final letters, points out the masculine termination, which is to be changed in the feminine; as, acti-f, -ve, actif, active; act-eur, -rice, acteur, actrice; honteu-x, -se, honteux, honteuse.

The long sound of the vowels is designated by a horizontal mark over the vowel, thus: ā, ē, ī, ō, ū.

The short sound of the vowels is designated by a curved mark, thus: ă, ĕ, ĭ, ŏ, ŭ. This mark seldom occurs but over the unaccented e. When there is no mark over the other vowels, they may be considered as natural; that is, as neither long nor short.

Words in parentheses serve to complete the sense of those words that precede or follow them; or they refer to the object with which they are connected, or indicate the art, trade, profession, etc., to which they relate. They are given in English and in French.

Those words of which the pronunciation is quite irregular are noticed in full; but those that are only partly irregular are noticed in their irregularities only. Therefore, such words as chiromancie, archétype, équateur, which are irregular in one syllable only, are noticed in that syllable alone; as ki-, -ké-, -koua-.

As none but French spelling can give a correct idea of French pronunciation, it is used throughout this dictionary, with the exception of ch, which is rendered by sh, so that it may not be mistaken for k; of ou, which is expressed by oo; and of oi, which is represented by oa.

☉ Indicates obsolete French words. When found in the middle of lines, it indicates that the French word is obsolete in the meaning before which it is placed.

(ant.) Indicates obsolete English words.

When two or more French nouns of the same gender follow, their gender is indicated after the last noun only.

The pronunciation of English words is indicated, in the English-French Division, in the same manner as that of French words in the French-English Division, and represented in all cases by means of the French spelling, with the exception of:

• 1st, th hard, which is expressed by (th);
• 2nd, th soft, ” ” (th);
• 3rd, g, when hard before e, i, or y, by (gh).

ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS WORK.

• a., active, actif.
• ab., abbreviation, abréviation.
• Acad., Academy, Académie.
• adj., adjective, adjectif.
• adject., adjectively, adjectivement.
• adv., adverb, adverbe.
• agri., agriculture, agriculture.
• alch., alchemy, alchimie.
• alg., algebra, algèbre.
• anat., anatomy, anatomie.
• antiq., antiquity, antiquité.
• arch., architecture, architecture.
• arith., arithmetic, arithmétique.
• art., article, article.
• artil., artillery, artillerie.
• astrol., astrology, astrologie.
• astron., astronomy, astronomie.
• auxil., auxiliary, auxiliaire.
• bookbind., bookbinding, reliure.
• bot., botany, botanique.
• b.s., bad sense, mauvaise part.
• carp., carpentry, charpenterie.
• chem., chemistry, chimie.
• coin., coining, monnayage.
• com., commerce, commerce.
• conch., conchology, conchologie.
• conj., conjunction, conjonction.
• cook., cookery, cuisine.
• c.rel., catholic religion, religion catholique.
• dy., dyeing, teinture.
• ecc., ecclesiastical, ecclésiastique.
• engr., engraving, gravure.
• ent., entomology, entomologie.
• exc., exclamation, exclamation.
• f., feminine, féminin.
• fam., familiar, familier.
• fenc., fencing, escrime.
• fig., figuratively, au figuré.
• fin., finance, finances.
• fort., fortification, fortification.
• foss., fossils, fossiles.
• gard., gardening, jardinage.
• geog., geography, géographie.
• geol., geology, géologie.
• geom., geometry, géométrie.
• gold., goldsmith’s work, orfèvrerie.
• gram., grammar, grammaire.
• her., heraldry, blason.
• hist., history, histoire.
• horl., horology, horlogerie.
• hort., horticulture, horticulture.
• hunt., hunting, chasse.
• hydr., hydraulics, hydraulique.
• ich., ichthyology, ichtyologie.
• imp., impersonal, impersonne.
• indecl., indeclinable, invariable.
• int., interjection, interjection.
• iron., ironically, ironiquement.
• jest., jestingly, par plaisanterie.
• jur., jurisprudence, jurisprudence.
• l.ex., low expression, terme bas.
• lit., literature, littérature.
• log., logic, logique.
• l.u., little used, peu usité.
• m., masculine, masculin.
• mam., mammalogy, mammalogie.
• man., manege, manège.
• manu., manufacture, manufactures.
• mas., masonry, maçonnerie.
• math., mathematics, mathématiques.
• mec., mechanics, mécanique.
• med., medicine, médecine.
• metal., metallurgy, métallurgie.
• milit., military art, art militaire.
• min., mineralogy, minéralogie.
• mol., mollusk, mollusque.
• mus., music, musique.
• myth., mythology, mythologie.
• n., noun-substantive, nom substantif.
• nav., navy, marine.
• opt., optics, optique.
• orni., ornithology, ornithologie.
• paint., painting, peinture.
• part., participle, participe.
• pers., person, personne.
• persp., perspective, perspective.
• pharm., pharmacy, pharmacie.
• philos., philosophy, philosophie.
• phys., natural philosophy (physics), physique.
• pl., plural, pluriel.
• poet., poetry, poésie.
• pol., politics, politique.
• pop., popular, populaire.
• prep., preposition, préposition.
• print., printing, imprimerie.
• pron., pronoun, pronom.
• prov., proverbially, proverbialement.
• r., reflected, réfléchi.
• rel., religion, religion.
• rhet., rhetoric, rhétorique.
• sculpt., sculpture, sculpture.
• sing., singular, singulier.
• st.e., elevated style, style soutenu.
• subst., substantively, substantivement.
• surg., surgery, chirurgie.
• tech., technology, technologie.
• thea., theater, théâtre.
• theol., theology, théologie.
• triv., trivial, trivial.
• v., verb, verbe.
• v.a., verb active, verbe actif.
• vet., veterinary art, art vétérinaire.
• v.imp., verb impersonal, verbe impersonnel.
• v.n., verb neuter, verbe neutre.
• v.r., verb reflected, verbe réfléchi.
• V., vide, voir.
• zoöl., zoölogy, zoologie.

A
GENERAL FRENCH-ENGLISH
DICTIONARY.

A

a, n.m., the first letter of the alphabet, a. Panse d’a; oval of an a. Il ne sait ni a ni b; he does not know a from b. Il n’a pas fait une panse d’a; he has not done a letter, a stroke. Un homme marqué à l’a; the beau-ideal of a man, a man thoroughly reliable. C’est un homme marqué à l’a; he is the soul of honor.

a (ab.), Altesse; Highness.

aa (ab.), Altesses; Highnesses.

a, at the beginning of French words, often comes from the privative α of the Greeks, and denotes privation; as, atonie, debility; acéphale, acephalous.

à, prep., denotes the end or term of the action of the verb, and indicates the person or thing this action tends to. Aller à Paris; to go to Paris. Parler à quelqu’un; to speak to some one.

à denotes extraction, separation. Oter une bague à quelqu’un; to take a ring from any one. Se soustraire aux poursuites de la justice; to abscond.

à denotes property, possession. Cette montre est à mon frère; this watch is my brother’s. Il a un style, une manière, à lui; he has a style, a manner, all his own. Cette ferme appartient à mon père; that farm belongs to my father.

à denotes period, time. Au lever du soleil; at sunrise. À l’aube du jour; at daybreak. Arriver à temps; to arrive in time. À mon retour; on my return.

à indicates what stops on the surface, or penetrates beyond it. Il a une bague au doigt; he has a ring on his finger. Blessé à l’épaule; wounded in the shoulder.

à establishes the relative distance between things and persons. À portée de canon; within cannon-shot. Il demeure à vingt lieues d’ici; he lives twenty leagues off. De vous à moi; between you and me, from you to me. De Paris à Rouen; from Paris to Rouen.

à points out whatever furnishes an inference or ground for conjecture. À l’œuvre on connait l’ouvrier; the workman is known by his work. Attendre à l’œuvre; to await results.

à denotes succession, gradation, order. Petit à petit; little by little. Un à un; one by one. Traduire mot à mot; to translate word for word, i.e., literally.

à is used in speaking of goods sold or bought by weight, measure, or quantity. Vendre du vin à la bouteille; to sell wine by the bottle. Vendre de la viande à la livre; to sell meat by the pound.

à denotes value, price. Dîner à trois francs par tête; to dine at three francs a head.

à denotes conformity, manner. S’habiller à la Française; to dress after the French fashion. A l’instar de la capitale; after the manner of the capital. À mon avis; in my opinion. Aller à pied, à cheval; to go on foot, to ride on horseback. Marcher à reculons; to walk backwards.

à, between two nouns, makes the second serve to denote the species or quality of the first. Canne à sucre; sugar-cane. Vache à lait; milch-cow.

à, between two numeral adjectives, signifies between, or about. Un homme de quarante à cinquante ans; a man between forty and fifty. Il y a quatre à cinq lieues; it is about four or five leagues distant.

Remark.—The French say quatre à cinq lieues, because leagues are things which may be divided into fractions; but, in speaking of things which cannot be divided, ou must be used. For instance, Quatre ou cinq personnes; four or five persons.

à, before an infinitive, commonly denotes what is proper to be done. Un avis à suivre; an opinion worth following. Un homme à récompenser ou à pendre; a man that deserves to be rewarded or hanged.

à, used in speaking of vehicles, signifies and. Une voiture à quatre chevaux, grandes guides; a carriage and four.

à is used in description instead of the English with. Un homme à barbe blanche; a man with a white beard. Une maison à pignon; a house with a gable, gabled.

a, has.

abaca, n.m., abaca, Manila hemp.

abacus (-kuss), n.m., abacus.

abaisse, n.f., the under-crust of pastry, piece of rolled paste.

abaissé, -e, part., lowered, brought low; dejected; diminished, flattened. Le pal est — (her.); the pale is abased.

abaissement (-bèss-man), n.m., lowering, falling, abatement, depression; humiliation, abasement; (surg.) couching. L’— des eaux; the abatement of the waters. Opération de la cataracte par —; couching.

abaisser, v.a., to let down, to let fall, to lower; to bring low down; to diminish, to reduce; to pull down; (gard.) to lop out; to debase, to cry down; to humble; to roll (paste); (surg.) to couch. — un pont-levis; to let down a drawbridge. — la voix; to lower the voice. Dieu abaisse les superbes; God humbles the proud. Abaisser une cataracte; (surg.) to couch a cataract.

s’abaisser, v.r., to fall, to decrease, to subside, to abate, to decline; to humble one’s self, to stoop, to sink, to cringe. S’— à le prier; to stoop so low as to entreat him.

abaisseur, n.m., (anat.) depressor.

abaisseur, adj., (anat.) depriment. Muscle —; depriment muscle.

abait, n.m., bait. V. appât.

abaiter, v.a., to bait. V. appâter.

abajoue, n.f., (mam.) cheek-pouch; gill, gills.

abalourdir, v.a., (fam.) to make dull and stupid.

abandon, n.m., forsaking, relinquishment, surrender; leaving things at random; abandonment, the being forsaken, forlornness, destitution, ease, unconstraint. Avoir un — séduisant; to have seductive manners. Se livrer avec — à; to indulge in.

à l’abandon, adv., at random, in confusion, at sixes and sevens. Laisser ses enfants à l’—; to neglect one’s children. Un champ qui est à l’—; a field left to run wild.

abandonnataire, n.m.f., (jur.) relessee.

abandonné, -e, part., abandoned, forsaken, given over. Un malade abandonné; a patient given up.

abandonné, -e, adj., abandoned, lost to decency, shameless, graceless, profligate.

abandonné, n.m., -e, n.f., profligate, rake; lewd, wicked, abandoned person.

abandonnement (-do-n-mān), n.m., abandonment, abandoning, forsaking; desertion, the being forsaken; the giving up one’s effects; leaving, quitting; dissoluteness, debauchery.

abandonner, v.a., to abandon, to quit, to leave, to desert, to forsake; to give up, to give over; to leave one at the disposal of; to deliver up; to let loose, let go. Il abandonna le pays; he left the country. — une cause; to give up a cause. — ses prétensions; to give up one’s claims. Mes forces m’abandonnent; my strength is failing me. — une corde; to let go a rope. — la partie; to give up the struggle.

s’abandonner, v.r., to give one’s self up, to addict one’s self, to give way to; to indulge in; to commit one’s self to; to prostitute one’s self; to be easy in one’s manners, to throw off all restraint. S’— à la colère, au plaisir, au hasard; to give way to anger, to indulge in pleasure, to trust to fortune.

☉abannation (-ba-na-), n.f., (jur.) abannition.

☉abaptiste (-ba-tist), adj., (surg.) abaptiston.

abaque, n.m., (arch. antiq.) abacus, plinth, the uppermost part of the capital of a column.

abarticulation, n.f., (anat.) abarticulation, diarthrosis.

abas, n.m., shower (bath), blight (in wheat). V. teigne.

abasourdir, v.a., (fam.) to stun, to dumfound, to astound; to stupefy.

abâtardir, v.a., to render degenerate; to debase, to corrupt, to spoil, to mar, to adulterate. La servitude abâtardit le courage; slavery debases courage. Un homme abâtardi; a degenerate man.

s’abâtardir, v.r., to degenerate, to grow worse.

abâtardissement (-mān), n.m., degeneracy.

abat-chauvée, n.f., (n.p.) flock-wool.

abat-faim (-fin), n.m., (—) large joint, substantial dish.

abat-foin, n.m., (—) opening above the rack to put the hay through; loft-trap.

abat-jour, n.m., (—) (arch.) sky-light, trunk-light; shade for a lamp; window-blind; (bot.) opening.

abattage, n.m., cutting down, felling, clearance (of a forest); (nav.) heaving down; careening; slaughtering (of animals).

☉abattant, n.m., shutter; flap (of a counter); lid.

abattée, n.f., (nav.) casting; falling off to leeward. Faire son —; to cast; to fall off.

abattement (-mān), n.m., faintness, low state, weakness, prostration; dejection, despondency, low spirits; (her.) abatement. Tomber dans l’—; to become low-spirited. Jeter dans l’—; to deject. Qui jette dans l’—; depressive.

abatteur, n.m., feller, knocker-off, slaughterer. C’est un grand — de bois; he is a great braggart.

abattis, n.m., houses, walls, trees, thrown down; the killing of game; giblets (of poultry); garbage; stones hewn down in a quarry; raw hides; slaughter, destruction. Abattis en ragoût; stewed giblets.

abattoir, n.m., slaughter-house.

abattre, v.a., to throw down, to hurl down; to pull down; to beat, to batter down; to bring down; to fell, to cut down, to hew down, to cut off; to knock down; to blow down; to lay (the dust); to let down; to soak (skins); to couch (the cataract); to waste (strength); to dispirit; to dishearten; to unman; to cast down, to depress; to humble. Le vent abattra le blé; the wind will throw the corn down. — un rideau; to let a curtain down. — les cuirs; to skin dead animals. — le pantalon; to remove the trousers. — les peaux; to soak the skins. — un vaisseau pour le caréner; to careen a ship. Un vaisseau dur à —; a ship hard to swing round. — un mât (nav.); to carry away a mast. La moindre chose l’abat; the least thing unmans him. Elle a l’air bien abattu; she looks very dejected. — l’orgueil de quelqu’un; to humble any one’s pride.

abattre, v.n., to lay down one’s cards (at play); (nav.) to fall off to leeward, to cast. Le vaisseau s’abat; the ship is driving to leeward.

s’abattre, v.r., to fall, to tumble down; to stoop; to abate; to be cast down, dejected; to break down (of horses); to burst (of a storm); to despond; to pounce upon. Le vent s’abat; the wind is falling. La chaleur s’abat; the heat is abating. Un orage terrible va s’abattre sur nous; a dreadful storm is about to burst upon us.

abattu, -e, adj., pulled, broken, cast down; depressed, dejected; humbled, crest-fallen. Je me sens tout —; I am quite out of spirits. Un visage —; a woe-begone countenance.

abattures, n.f.pl., (hunt.) abature; foiling (of a stag).

abat-vent, n.m., penthouse (of a steeple); pentice, wind-screen, louvre window.

abat-voix, n.m., sounding-board (of a pulpit).

abbatial (-cial), -e, adj., abbatial, abbatical.

abbaye (abéi), n.f., monastery, abbey. Administration d’une —; abbacy.

abbé, n.m., abbé, abbot, priest. Monsieur l’abbé, your Reverence.

abbesse, n.f., abbess. Dignité, fonctions, d’abbé, d’abbesse; abbotship.

abc, n.m., a, b, c, alphabet, primer; a, b, c, book; elements, rudiments, spelling-book. Apprendre son —; to learn one’s letters. Être à l’— de; to be at the a, b, c, of. Renvoyer quelqu’un à l’—; to make a person begin all over again.

abcéder, v.n., to form into an abscess, to apostemate, to gather, to come to a head.

abcès, n.m., abscess, apostem, gathering. Former, vider, un —; to form, to take the matter out of, an abscess. — aux gencives; gumboil.

abcisse, n.f. V. abscisse.

abdication, n.f., abdication; (jur.) disinheritance of a son during his father’s life-time; renunciation of (property). Faire —; to abdicate.

abdiquer, v.a., to abdicate, to resign, to forswear.

abdomen (-mè-n), n.m., abdomen.

abdominal, -e, adj., abdominal.

abducteur, adj., (anat.) abducent.

abducteur, n.m., abductor.

abduction, n.f., (anat. and log.) abduction.

s’abéausir, v.n., (nav.) to become fine (of weather at sea).

abécédaire, adj., of the a, b, c. Ouvrage —; child’s first-book.

abécédaire, n.m., alphabet, primer, spelling-book.

abecquer, v.a., to feed a bird.

abée, n.f., mill-dam.

*abeille, n.f., bee. — bourdon; bumble-bee. — domestique; hive bee. — mère; queen bee. — ouvrière; working bee. Ruche d’—s; bee-hive. Eleveur d’—; bee-master. Essaim d’—s; swarm of bees.

abeillé, -e, adj. & part., covered, ornamented with bees.

abéquer. V. abecquer.

aberration, n.f., aberration; (sciences) alienation. — de réfrangibilité; Newtonian aberration. Cercle d’—; crown of aberration.

abêtir, v.a., to stupefy; to stultify. V. hébéter.

abêter, v.n., s’abêtir, v.r., to grow stupid.

ab hoc et ab hac, adv., at random; confusedly.

abhorrer, v.a., to abhor, detest, loathe.

s’abhorrer, v.r., to abominate, loathe one another.

abîme, n.m., unfathomable depth, abyss, hell; a thing most abstruse or obscure; dipping-mold (for candles); (her.) the middle of the shield; fesse-point, heart point.

abîmé, -e, part., swallowed up, ingulfed, destroyed, spoiled. — de dettes; over head and ears in debt.

abîmer, v.a., to overthrow, to ingulf, to swallow up; to destroy entirely, to cut up, to crush; to spoil, to injure.

abîmer, v.n., to be destroyed, to be swallowed up, to sink; to perish, to be crushed.

s’abîmer, v.r., to fall into an abyss, to sink; to ruin, to undo one’s self; to be spoiled.

ab intestat, adv., abintestate. Succession —; intestate’s estate; intestacy.

ab irato, adv., in an angry fit. Parler, agir, —; to speak, to act, under the influence of anger.

abject, -e (-jékt), adj., abject, base, mean, low, vile, despicable.

abjectement, adv., abjectly.

abjection, n.f., abjection, baseness; humiliation; vileness, meanness.

abjuration, n.f., solemn renunciation, abjuration.

abjuratoire, adj., abjuratory. — acte; act of abjuration.

abjurer, v.a., to abjure, to deny, to forswear, to renounce. — une opinion; to abandon an opinion.

ablactation, n.f., (med.) ablactation, weaning.

ablais, n.m., (jurisp.) corn, either standing or cut down, but not carried or carted away.

ablaquéation, n.f., (gard.) ablaqueation.

ablatif, n.m., (gram.) ablative.

ablation, n.f., (surg.) ablation.

ablativo, (triv.) adv., in confusion; higgledy-piggledy.

able, n.m., or ablette, n.f., (fish) ablet, bleak.

ablégat, n.m., ablegate.

☉ablégation, n.m., ablegation.

ablepsie, n.f., (med.) ablepsy.

ablier, n.m., (fish.) purse-net; hoop-net.

☉abluant, -e, adj., (med.) abluent, cleansing.

☉abluer, v.a., to revive old writing, to wash with gall-nut.

ablution, n.f., ablution, washing, purification. Faire ses —s; to perform one’s ablutions.

abnégation, n.f., abnegation, renunciation, sacrifice. — de soi-même; self-denial. Faire — de; to renounce, set aside.

aboi, n.m., barking, baying.

aboiement or aboîment (-boa-mān), n.m., barking, baying.

abois, n.m.pl., despairing condition, last shift, distress. Aux —; at bay, hard up, at one’s wits’ end. Mettre aux —; to drive to extremities. La place est aux —; the place, citadel, can hold out no longer, is in desperate straits.

abolir, v.a., to abolish, to repeal, to annul. — un impôt; to take off a tax.

s’abolir, v.r., to fall into disuse, to become obsolete.

abolissable, adj., abolishable.

abolissement (-mān), n.m., abolishment.

abolition, n.f., abolition; royal pardon; repeal.

abolitionniste, n.m., abolitionist.

abominable, adj., abominable, execrable.

abominablement, adv., abominably.