Mots difficiles en anglais
pushy
insistant « a pushy, aggressive door-to-door salesman. » « We didn't want to seem to be pushy parents. »
off the hook
trop cool « That party was off the hook! » (=off the chain « this party is really off the chain!! »)
to get off the hook = se tirer d'affaire « Government officials accused of bribery and corruption often get off the hook. »
to let sb off the hook = laisser qn s'en tirer « the Opposition has let the government off the hook »
to take the phone off the hook = décrocher le téléphone
to get off the hook = se tirer d'affaire « Government officials accused of bribery and corruption often get off the hook. »
to let sb off the hook = laisser qn s'en tirer « the Opposition has let the government off the hook »
to take the phone off the hook = décrocher le téléphone
to screen
masquer
protéger « I moved in front of her trying to screen her. The house is screened from the road by high hedges. She screened her eyes from the wind. »
[+film] projeter , diffuser « The series is likely to be screened in January. »
[+candidates, employees] contrôler « The Secret Service screens several hundred people every week » « women screened for breast cancer »
[+telephone calls] filtrer « I employ a secretary to screen my telephone calls »
protéger « I moved in front of her trying to screen her. The house is screened from the road by high hedges. She screened her eyes from the wind. »
[+film] projeter , diffuser « The series is likely to be screened in January. »
[+candidates, employees] contrôler « The Secret Service screens several hundred people every week » « women screened for breast cancer »
[+telephone calls] filtrer « I employ a secretary to screen my telephone calls »
downtime
temps d'arrêt « I was so tired, I decided I needed to have a little downtime. »
off the top of my head
de tête « off the top of my head, here are a few examples » (=de tête, voici quelques exemples).
= OTTOMH « I don't remember details ottomh, but... »
= OTTOMH « I don't remember details ottomh, but... »
off the record
officieux « The minister's remarks were strictly off-the-record. »
boarding school
pensionnat « They sent their children to boarding school. »
nifty
[car, jacket, bag] qui a du chic, qui a de la classe (=stylish)
[place] chouette « Bridgeport was a pretty nifty place »
[gadget, tool] astucieux « this nifty Add-On lets you search our full database from your browser » « a couple of nifty tricks that I've seen scattered around the Internet. »
[place] chouette « Bridgeport was a pretty nifty place »
[gadget, tool] astucieux « this nifty Add-On lets you search our full database from your browser » « a couple of nifty tricks that I've seen scattered around the Internet. »
scramble
bousculade « There was a mad scramble for the back seat. » (=il y eut une folle bousculade pour la place du fond.)
lutte « in their scramble for top spot in the charts » (=dans leur lutte pour la première place au hit-parade).
the scramble for jobs = la ruée sur les emplois
avancer péniblement « Tourists were scrambling over the rocks. » (= les touristes avançaient péniblement dans les rochers).
to scramble for [+door, exit] se ruer vers « I scrambled for the door »
to scramble for [+tickets, shares, prize] s'arracher « More than three million fans are expected to scramble for tickets. »
[+signal, message] brouiller
[+eggs] brouiller
lutte « in their scramble for top spot in the charts » (=dans leur lutte pour la première place au hit-parade).
the scramble for jobs = la ruée sur les emplois
avancer péniblement « Tourists were scrambling over the rocks. » (= les touristes avançaient péniblement dans les rochers).
to scramble for [+door, exit] se ruer vers « I scrambled for the door »
to scramble for [+tickets, shares, prize] s'arracher « More than three million fans are expected to scramble for tickets. »
[+signal, message] brouiller
[+eggs] brouiller
cramp
crampe « I had the most excruciating cramp in my leg. »
génant (=awkward) « when u get 2 people in a room who dont like each other, its cramp, for u and for them. » « I caught my brother havin sex... ahhhh, cramp! »
to cramp sb's style = priver qn de ses moyens « He thinks marriage would cramp his style. »
génant (=awkward) « when u get 2 people in a room who dont like each other, its cramp, for u and for them. » « I caught my brother havin sex... ahhhh, cramp! »
to cramp sb's style = priver qn de ses moyens « He thinks marriage would cramp his style. »
tiptoe
on tiptoe = sur la pointe des pieds « They stretched their arms and stood on tiptoe. »
to tiptoe= marcher sur la pointe des pieds « He tiptoed out of the room » (=il sortit de la chambre sur la pointe des pieds). « she tiptoed to the window » (=elle alla à la fenêtre sur la pointe des pieds).
to tiptoe= marcher sur la pointe des pieds « He tiptoed out of the room » (=il sortit de la chambre sur la pointe des pieds). « she tiptoed to the window » (=elle alla à la fenêtre sur la pointe des pieds).
to skulk
se cacher « They were skulking in a corner ».
to skulk off = s'en aller en douce
to skulk off = s'en aller en douce
chuckle
glousser « the joke made me chuckle
»
»
to wind
[+rope, bandage] to wind sth around sth = enrouler qch autour de qch → « wind the wire round the screws. → She wound the bandage around his knee. »
[+clock, toy] remonter → « he stopped to wind his watch. »
[road, river] serpenter → to wind through sth = serpenter à travers qch → « The river winds through the town. → The road winds through the valley. »
[+clock, toy] remonter → « he stopped to wind his watch. »
[road, river] serpenter → to wind through sth = serpenter à travers qch → « The river winds through the town. → The road winds through the valley. »
cranky
[idea] excentrique, loufoque
grincheux, revêche (=bad-tempered) there was no point in being cranky and not talking to him Why are you so cranky today? Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?
grincheux, revêche (=bad-tempered) there was no point in being cranky and not talking to him Why are you so cranky today? Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?
wrangle
bataille → « a contractual wrangle between a football club and a player → he was involved in a legal wrangle with his cousin. »
to wrangle = se disputer → to wrangle with sb over sth (=se battre contre qn au sujet de qch) → « she had wrangled bitterly with her ex-husband over contact with their children. »
to wrangle = se disputer → to wrangle with sb over sth (=se battre contre qn au sujet de qch) → « she had wrangled bitterly with her ex-husband over contact with their children. »
jam
confiture « strawberry jam »
[+shoppers] cohue
traffic jam = bouchon
to be in a jam = être dans le pétrin « I'm in a real jam, I've got an important meeting at 9 and the damned car won't start. » « He finds himself in exactly the same jam as his brother was in ten years ago. »
to get sb out of a jam = « tirer qn du pétrin »
encombrer, obstruer, saturer crowds jammed the streets. « The office phone lines are jammed by callers opposed to the sale. TV viewers jammed BBC switchboards to complain. »
[+shoppers] cohue
traffic jam = bouchon
to be in a jam = être dans le pétrin « I'm in a real jam, I've got an important meeting at 9 and the damned car won't start. » « He finds himself in exactly the same jam as his brother was in ten years ago. »
to get sb out of a jam = « tirer qn du pétrin »
encombrer, obstruer, saturer crowds jammed the streets. « The office phone lines are jammed by callers opposed to the sale. TV viewers jammed BBC switchboards to complain. »
to soak
tremper → « water came in the tent and soaked both sleeping bags. »
[+dishes, pots] faire tremper, laisser tremper → « soak the material in bleach for several hours. »
[+dishes, pots] faire tremper, laisser tremper → « soak the material in bleach for several hours. »
there's a catch
c'est une attrape; il y a anguille sous roche « you can fly Skybus for 10 bucks, but there's a catch! »
cf.: pitfall piège, chausse-trape « The pitfalls of working abroad are numerous. »
cf.: pitfall piège, chausse-trape « The pitfalls of working abroad are numerous. »
shifty
[person, behaviour] louche « he looked shifty » (il avait l'air louche).
[eyes] fuyant
[eyes] fuyant
from the get go
from the start, since the begining (=since the get go)
to tick off
cocher → « he ticked off our names on the list. »
passer un savon à qn → « She ticked me off for being late. »
mettre qn en rogne → « I just think it's rude and it's ticking me off. »
to be ticked off at sb = être en rogne contre qn → « she's still ticked off at him for brushing her off » (brush off = envoyer balader).
passer un savon à qn → « She ticked me off for being late. »
mettre qn en rogne → « I just think it's rude and it's ticking me off. »
to be ticked off at sb = être en rogne contre qn → « she's still ticked off at him for brushing her off » (brush off = envoyer balader).
to rankle
rester en travers de la gorge (fig.) → I've tried very hard to forget it but it still rankles.
to rankle with sb → his behaviour rankles with me still = sa conduite me reste encore en travers de la gorge.
to rankle with sb → his behaviour rankles with me still = sa conduite me reste encore en travers de la gorge.
flirt
flirter → she's been flirting with him all evening
dragueur(-euse) → « she's a terrible flirt. »
dragueur(-euse) → « she's a terrible flirt. »
hop
sauter, sauter à cloche-pied
to hop out of bed = sauter du lit
hop in! = montez!
to hop out of bed = sauter du lit
hop in! = montez!
to be nauseous
avoir mal au cœur, avoir envie de vomir (=to feel nauseous) « I started feeling dizzy and nauseous. »
nauseous = nauséabond, écœurant « he found her Sixties idealism nauseous. »
◊ prononcer NOSHOUS
nauseous = nauséabond, écœurant « he found her Sixties idealism nauseous. »
◊ prononcer NOSHOUS
tbc
to be confirmed (à confirmer)
to despise
mépriser → « I can never forgive him. I despise him. »
clockwise
dans le sens des aiguilles d'une montre → « he pushed the bolt (verrou) back in and twisted it clockwise. »
counterclockwise (direction) = dans le sens inverse des aiguilles d'une montre → « the dance moves in a counterclockwise direction. »
counterclockwise (direction) = dans le sens inverse des aiguilles d'une montre → « the dance moves in a counterclockwise direction. »
DWI
Driving While Intoxicated. Synonym of DUI (Driving Under The Influence) « I got pulled over and charged with a DUI ».
pizza parlour
pizzeria
glitter
scintiller, briller → « her jewellery glittered under the spotlight → The Palace glittered with lights → His eyes glittered with amusement. »
éclat → « the glitter and glamour of her life »
paillettes → « Christmas cards covered with glitter »
éclat → « the glitter and glamour of her life »
paillettes → « Christmas cards covered with glitter »
to dump
déposer → « we dumped our stuff at the hotel. »
jeter
abandonner → « the car was dumped on the motorway. »
to dump waste = déverser des déchets →« the company dumped the waste in the river. »
vendre à bas prix
plaquer → « he's just dumped his girlfriend. »
jeter
abandonner → « the car was dumped on the motorway. »
to dump waste = déverser des déchets →« the company dumped the waste in the river. »
vendre à bas prix
plaquer → « he's just dumped his girlfriend. »
fishy
au poisson, de poisson « this will help to eliminate any fishy odours. »
suspect, louche (=dodgy)
there's something fishy = il y a quelque chose de louche ; il y a anguille sous roche
suspect, louche (=dodgy)
there's something fishy = il y a quelque chose de louche ; il y a anguille sous roche
creep
se glisser « they watched the boy creep towards the bush. »
to creep across sth = traverser qch à pas de loup
saligaud, sale type « leave me alone, you creep » he's a creep (c'est un sale type)
to give sb the creeps = donner la chair de poule, faire froid dans le dos It gives me the creeps (ça me fait froid dans le dos).
to creep up = grimper « interest rates were creeping up »
creepy = qui fait frissonner, qui donne la chair de poule (=frightening) « his creepy old house may be haunted »
[person] sinistre « what secrets is their creepy landlord hiding? »
to creep across sth = traverser qch à pas de loup
saligaud, sale type « leave me alone, you creep » he's a creep (c'est un sale type)
to give sb the creeps = donner la chair de poule, faire froid dans le dos It gives me the creeps (ça me fait froid dans le dos).
to creep up = grimper « interest rates were creeping up »
creepy = qui fait frissonner, qui donne la chair de poule (=frightening) « his creepy old house may be haunted »
[person] sinistre « what secrets is their creepy landlord hiding? »
sloshed
bourré (drunk) → I got so fucking sloshed last night!
dismay
consternation, désarroi
much to my dismay = à ma grande consternation, à mon grand désarroi → « I discovered, much to my dismay, that the house was no longer there. »
much to my dismay = à ma grande consternation, à mon grand désarroi → « I discovered, much to my dismay, that the house was no longer there. »
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)
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. »
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. »
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.