Mots difficiles en anglais
pointless
inutile, vain → « violence is always pointless »
dénué de sens → « a pointless display of macho strength. »
dénué de sens → « a pointless display of macho strength. »
catch 22
situation inextricable It's Catch 22. Nobody wants to support you until you're successful, but without the support how can you ever be successful?
perky
guilleret , gai, effronté.
ne pas confondre avec perk (à-côté)
ne pas confondre avec perk (à-côté)
beat it!
fiche le camp! → « beat it before it's too late. »
to snipe
critiquer
to snipe at sb = critiquer qn → « the Spanish media were still sniping at the British press yesterday. »
to snipe at sb/sth = tirer sur qn/qch sans se faire voir → « gunmen have repeatedly sniped at US Army positions. »
to snipe at sb = critiquer qn → « the Spanish media were still sniping at the British press yesterday. »
to snipe at sb/sth = tirer sur qn/qch sans se faire voir → « gunmen have repeatedly sniped at US Army positions. »
to pull over
se ranger → the car pulled over to the side of the road
contraindre à s'arrêter (police) → I got pulled over and charged with a DUI.
contraindre à s'arrêter (police) → I got pulled over and charged with a DUI.
dashing
fringant (=vif, alerte, élégant, plein d'allant et de vigueur)
knock off
quitter (le travail) → « what time do you knock off? »
piquer → « he was planning to knock off a few videos, but the boss found out. »
knock it off! = ferme-la! → « Knock it off, I'm trying to concentrate. »
piquer → « he was planning to knock off a few videos, but the boss found out. »
knock it off! = ferme-la! → « Knock it off, I'm trying to concentrate. »
to resent
en vouloir à → she resents her mother for being so tough on her.
déplaire → I resent his attitude towards her (=son attitude envers elle me déplaît).
déplaire → I resent his attitude towards her (=son attitude envers elle me déplaît).
mayhem
pagaille → « the crisis plunged the country into mayhem. »
to cause mayhem = semer la pagaille.
dodgy
douteux → « predicting voting trends is a dodgy business. »
louche →« he was a bit of a dodgy character → cash made in dodgy underworld deals »
peu sûr → « you have to walk across this awfully dodgy rope bridge »
to dodge = truc, combine (he tried all sorts of dodges to avoid paying) / = esquiver, éviter.
louche →« he was a bit of a dodgy character → cash made in dodgy underworld deals »
peu sûr → « you have to walk across this awfully dodgy rope bridge »
to dodge = truc, combine (he tried all sorts of dodges to avoid paying) / = esquiver, éviter.
stiff
raide, rigide
guindé
to be stiff = avoir des courbatures
[competition, laws, penalties] sévère → « competition is so stiff that he'll be lucky to get a place at all. »
to be bored stiff = s'ennuyer à mourir
x to be frozen stiff = être mort de froid
to be scared stiff = être mort de peur
to be worried stiff = être mort d'inquiétude
to stiffen = (se) raidir, (se) durcir.
guindé
to be stiff = avoir des courbatures
[competition, laws, penalties] sévère → « competition is so stiff that he'll be lucky to get a place at all. »
to be bored stiff = s'ennuyer à mourir
x to be frozen stiff = être mort de froid
to be scared stiff = être mort de peur
to be worried stiff = être mort d'inquiétude
to stiffen = (se) raidir, (se) durcir.
grip
prise ; saisir
to get a grip = se ressaisir → Get a grip!
to get a grip on sth = prendre en main qch
to get a grip = se ressaisir → Get a grip!
to get a grip on sth = prendre en main qch
to clink glasses
trinquer (=porter un toast)
trinquer à la santé de qn = to drink to sb('s health)
trinquer à la santé de qn = to drink to sb('s health)
to go like clockwork
marcher comme sur des roulettes → « everything went like clockwork. »
stinking
puant → « they were locked up in a stinking cell »
infect → « you couldn't hide anything in this stinking little town. »
a stinking cold = un rhume carabiné → « I've got a stinking cold coming on. »
stinking rich = bourré de pognon.
infect → « you couldn't hide anything in this stinking little town. »
a stinking cold = un rhume carabiné → « I've got a stinking cold coming on. »
stinking rich = bourré de pognon.
yank
coup sec → after a couple of yanks, the rope came free.
to give sth a yank = tirer d'un coup sec sur qch
to yank sth open = ouvrir qch d'un coup sec → she yanked open the drawer (=elle ouvrit le tiroir d'un coup sec).
to give sth a yank = tirer d'un coup sec sur qch
to yank sth open = ouvrir qch d'un coup sec → she yanked open the drawer (=elle ouvrit le tiroir d'un coup sec).
booze
alcohol
picoler → « a load of drunken businessmen who had been boozing all afternoon. »
picoler → « a load of drunken businessmen who had been boozing all afternoon. »
swish
[restaurant, hotel, car] classe
bruisser → the curtains swished open (=les rideaux s'ouvrirent dans un bruissement).
to swish its tail [horse, cow] = fouetter de la queue.
bruisser → the curtains swished open (=les rideaux s'ouvrirent dans un bruissement).
to swish its tail [horse, cow] = fouetter de la queue.
to lay on
mettre, installer, organiser
→ A swish gala banquet had been laid on in their honour at the Imperial Hotel. They laid on a special meal (=ils ont organisé un repas soigné).
mettre en place → they laid on extra buses (=ils ont mis en place un service de bus supplémentaire).
étaler.
mettre en place → they laid on extra buses (=ils ont mis en place un service de bus supplémentaire).
étaler.
to faze
déconcerter, démonter → big concert halls do not faze Melanie. → he wasn't a bit fazed by the fact that I was gay.
to have a bone for
to be infatuated → man I have a bone for this girl, I want to hook up with her.
to be infatuated
être sous le charme → I was totally infatuated.
infatuated with sb = entiché de qn → « at the beginning I was infatuated with Maggie. »
infatuation (with person, thing) = engouement → « this is not love but a foolish infatuation. »
infatuated with sb = entiché de qn → « at the beginning I was infatuated with Maggie. »
infatuation (with person, thing) = engouement → « this is not love but a foolish infatuation. »
nail
ongle
clou
to nail = baiser
clou
to nail = baiser
to crave
[+attention] = avoir un grand besoin de Teenagers crave attention.
[+food, drink, cigarette, fresh air] = avoir envie de, avoir terriblement envie de, être avide de « she craved luxury. Baker was craving for a smoke. »
= to gasp I'm gasping for a cigarette (je meurs d'envie de fumer une cigarette)
[+food, drink, cigarette, fresh air] = avoir envie de, avoir terriblement envie de, être avide de « she craved luxury. Baker was craving for a smoke. »
= to gasp I'm gasping for a cigarette (je meurs d'envie de fumer une cigarette)
to put up with
tolérer, supporter « → you're late, Shelly, and I won't put up with it. → She could put up with a lot, but she wouldn't tolerate such violence. → I'm not going to put up with it any longer. »
likewise
de même
to do likewise (=do the same)= faire de même → he made donations and encouraged others to do likewise.
to do likewise (=do the same)= faire de même → he made donations and encouraged others to do likewise.
to forsake
(forsook - forsaken) = abandonner → « Do not forsake me, father. »
suburbia
banlieue (= suburb, suburbs)
bedroom suburb = banlieue-dortoir
garden suburb = banlieue résidentielle
bedroom suburb = banlieue-dortoir
garden suburb = banlieue résidentielle
lousy
nul → a lousy movie, a lousy idea.
I'm a lousy cook = Je suis nul en cuisine.
to be lousy at sth = être nul en qch → he is lousy at public relations.
infect → the food in the canteen is lousy.
I'm a lousy cook = Je suis nul en cuisine.
to be lousy at sth = être nul en qch → he is lousy at public relations.
infect → the food in the canteen is lousy.
to crimp
pincer
to put a crimp on = mettre le frein à, affecter → « U.S. recession is likely to put a crimp on business worldwide. »
to put a crimp on = mettre le frein à, affecter → « U.S. recession is likely to put a crimp on business worldwide. »
turnout
assistance (=attendance)
[+voters] participation
it was a good turnout = il y a eu beaucoup de monde.
a high turnout = une participation importante.
a low turnout = une faible participation, une forte abstention.
[+voters] participation
it was a good turnout = il y a eu beaucoup de monde.
a high turnout = une participation importante.
a low turnout = une faible participation, une forte abstention.
quack
(prononcer "kwak")
coin-coin → suddenly he heard a quack.
(doctor) charlatan → I went everywhere for treatment, tried all sorts of quacks.
coin-coin → suddenly he heard a quack.
(doctor) charlatan → I went everywhere for treatment, tried all sorts of quacks.
unleash
[fury, passion, violence] déchaîner → « the fury unleashed by the proposals. »
entraîner, déclencher → a ruling that could unleash a torrent of litigation.
entraîner, déclencher → a ruling that could unleash a torrent of litigation.
skipping rope
corde à sauter
premises
locaux they're moving to new premises. »
business premises = locaux commerciaux
on the premises = sur place, sur les lieux the Director of the hostel lives on the premises. There is a kitchen on the premises. »
business premises = locaux commerciaux
on the premises = sur place, sur les lieux the Director of the hostel lives on the premises. There is a kitchen on the premises. »
blow
coup → « he went to hospital after a blow to the face. → it was a terrible blow when he was made redundant. »
to come to blows = en venir aux mains → « the representatives almost came to blows »
to be a blow to sth = être un coup pour qch → « a further blow to hopes of peace »
to soften the blow, to cushion the blow = amortir le choc
that blows! = c'est archi-nul! → your project blows!
to come to blows = en venir aux mains → « the representatives almost came to blows »
to be a blow to sth = être un coup pour qch → « a further blow to hopes of peace »
to soften the blow, to cushion the blow = amortir le choc
that blows! = c'est archi-nul! → your project blows!
stint
passage → « I first met her during my stint in Washington. »
to have a stint as sth = faire un passage en tant que qch → « her brief stint as chief executive »
to stint on sth = lésiner sur qch → « don't stint on the sugar. »
to have a stint as sth = faire un passage en tant que qch → « her brief stint as chief executive »
to stint on sth = lésiner sur qch → « don't stint on the sugar. »
call off
annuler, [+engagement] rompre → « the strike was called off after three days. »
daunt
intimider → « he often takes on a workload that would daunt a journalistic Samson. »
to feel daunted = se sentir intimidé
daunting [tâche, projet] = intimidant
to feel daunted = se sentir intimidé
daunting [tâche, projet] = intimidant
leverage
effet de levier → « you're going to have so much leverage it's going to pull the screw out. »
influence
to have leverage with sb = avoir une influence sur qn → « I have no leverage with the committee. »
to have the leverage to do sth = pouvoir peser dans la balance pour faire qch.
influence
to have leverage with sb = avoir une influence sur qn → « I have no leverage with the committee. »
to have the leverage to do sth = pouvoir peser dans la balance pour faire qch.
to rise to the occasion
se montrer à la hauteur de la situation → « John had risen to the occasion with an insight that surprised us all. »
to sneak
to sneak in = entrer furtivement
to sneak out = sortir furtivement → « that night I sneaked out of my dormitory. »
to sneak up on sb = s'approcher de qn sans faire de bruit
to sneak a peek at sth = to sneak a look at sth = regarder furtivement qch
to sneak out = sortir furtivement → « that night I sneaked out of my dormitory. »
to sneak up on sb = s'approcher de qn sans faire de bruit
to sneak a peek at sth = to sneak a look at sth = regarder furtivement qch
dodge
truc, combine he tried all sorts of dodges to avoid paying.
esquiver, éviter, éluder « he dodged military service by feigning illness. » « He is dodging the question, refusing to answer. »
esquiver, éviter, éluder « he dodged military service by feigning illness. » « He is dodging the question, refusing to answer. »
skunk
mouffette (→sconse)
drunk as a skunk = être bourré comme un coing (=sloshed) → « man, she was drunk as a skunk Saturday night. »
step up
[+efforts, production, sales, campaign, security] = intensifier → « the government is stepping up its efforts. »
to hang around
traîner (= to hang about)→ « hanging around the streets with nothing to do »
pull out
démarrer → « the train was just pulling out when they arrived. »
déboîter → « the car pulled out to overtake. » se retirer
se retirer (de qch) → « the World Bank should pull out of the project. »
déboîter → « the car pulled out to overtake. » se retirer
se retirer (de qch) → « the World Bank should pull out of the project. »
dreary
[place] triste a dreary little town
[life] monotone They live such dreary lives.
[day] ennuyeux he gazed out of an office window on a wet and dreary day.
[life] monotone They live such dreary lives.
[day] ennuyeux he gazed out of an office window on a wet and dreary day.
gaze
regard
to shift one's gaze = détourner le regard « he sat without shifting his gaze from the window. »
not to shift one's gaze from sth = ne pas quitter qch des yeux.
to be in the public gaze = être très en vue
fixer (at sb/sth) fixer « he gazed at her. »
to gaze out of the window = regarder fixement par la fenêtre « she gazed out of the window at the dreary landscape. »
to shift one's gaze = détourner le regard « he sat without shifting his gaze from the window. »
not to shift one's gaze from sth = ne pas quitter qch des yeux.
to be in the public gaze = être très en vue
fixer (at sb/sth) fixer « he gazed at her. »
to gaze out of the window = regarder fixement par la fenêtre « she gazed out of the window at the dreary landscape. »