Mots difficiles en anglais
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. »
to call out
pousser un cri → « I called out and my Mum entered the room. »
appeler, faire appel à → « the government called out the army to help put out the fires. »
crier → « then someone called out, "Let's merge!" »
to call out sth to sb = crier qch à qn → « she called out to her daughter: "I'm sorry!". »
appeler, faire appel à → « the government called out the army to help put out the fires. »
crier → « then someone called out, "Let's merge!" »
to call out sth to sb = crier qch à qn → « she called out to her daughter: "I'm sorry!". »