Mots difficiles en anglais
backstop
(baseball) filet de protection. « The ball hit the backstop after the batter missed the swing. »
fig: filet de sécurité. « The company's savings served as a backstop during the financial crisis. »
Backstop technology : technologie salvatrice. Emploi ironique dans le contexte du technosolutionisme. « Many people still think that we will discover a perfectly clean technology, which will allow us to have unlimited energy, and to continue our way of life (ecocide). This clean technology is what Nordhaus calls backstop technology. This famous saving technology that will save us all. »
fig: filet de sécurité. « The company's savings served as a backstop during the financial crisis. »
Backstop technology : technologie salvatrice. Emploi ironique dans le contexte du technosolutionisme. « Many people still think that we will discover a perfectly clean technology, which will allow us to have unlimited energy, and to continue our way of life (ecocide). This clean technology is what Nordhaus calls backstop technology. This famous saving technology that will save us all. »
fiddle-faddle
futilités. « They exchanged fiddle-faddle instead of addressing the critical issues at hand. »
balivernes. « The meeting was filled with fiddle-faddle instead of productive discussion. »
balivernes. « The meeting was filled with fiddle-faddle instead of productive discussion. »
shenanigans
manigances, combines. « The county has a long history of political shenanigans. »
flocking to
affluer vers, se ruer vers. « People are flocking to the beach. »
toddler
bambin ; enfant en bas âge. « The toddler was yelling bloody murder when his toy was taken away. »
dung
bouse de vache, fumier. « He got cow dung all over his boots. »Dung beetle = bousier.
to underpin
sous-tendre « Several factors underpin this policy. »
snooze
petit somme « to have a snooze » « I've just had a nice snooze. »
snooze button = bouton d'arrêt momentané (d'un radio-réveil)
to snooze = sommeiller « when you snooze you lose... »
snooze button = bouton d'arrêt momentané (d'un radio-réveil)
to snooze = sommeiller « when you snooze you lose... »
navel
nombril (=belly button).
to cram
fourrer « He crammed the bank notes into his pockets and ran off » « I’ve tried to cram all the wisdom I’ve accumulated in my book. »
daft
idiot, bête. « Don't be daft ! » « That's a daft question. »
to be daft about sb, sth = être mordu de qqn, qch. « He's daft about football. » « She's daft about gardening. » « He's daft about her. »
« daft as a brush » = con comme la lune.
to be daft about sb, sth = être mordu de qqn, qch. « He's daft about football. » « She's daft about gardening. » « He's daft about her. »
« daft as a brush » = con comme la lune.
loophole
faille, lacune (dans une loi). A loophole in the law
a legal loophole = un vide juridique
to close a loophole = combler une lacune. « It's time we closed the loophole which allows criminals to gain easy access to lethal weapons. »
a legal loophole = un vide juridique
to close a loophole = combler une lacune. « It's time we closed the loophole which allows criminals to gain easy access to lethal weapons. »
huddle
[of people] petit groupe
tas, amas, enchevêtrement
to go into a huddle (informal) = se réunir en petit comité
to huddle = se blottir they huddled round the fire = ils se sont blottis autour du feu
se recroqueviller, se blottir she was huddling under a blanket
to huddle together = se serrer, se blottir les uns contre les autres
huddled = blotti, pelotonné, recroquevillé. « Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses » (extrait du poème "The New Colossus" de Emma Lazarus, gravé sur le socle de la Statue de la Liberté).
tas, amas, enchevêtrement
to go into a huddle (informal) = se réunir en petit comité
to huddle = se blottir they huddled round the fire = ils se sont blottis autour du feu
se recroqueviller, se blottir she was huddling under a blanket
to huddle together = se serrer, se blottir les uns contre les autres
huddled = blotti, pelotonné, recroquevillé. « Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses » (extrait du poème "The New Colossus" de Emma Lazarus, gravé sur le socle de la Statue de la Liberté).
chunk
[+meat] gros morceau → to cut the meat into chunks
[+bread] quignon
[+bread] quignon
arson
incendie criminel, pyromanie. « He was charged with arson. » « An investigation revealed that the flaming was an act of arson. »to behead
décapiter « A soldier was beheaded by jihadists in the public square. »
heist
hold-up, casse, cambriolage. « Jewelry heists happen surprisingly often. What's less common is that the perpetrators get caught. »
to heist = faire un casse, un hold-up, braquer, cambrioler
cartwheel
roue de charrette
to turn a cartwheel = faire la roue
to turn a cartwheel = faire la roue
fir
sapin. « There was a big fir tree with stars and garlands. »
twinkle
scintillement, scintiller « At night, lights twinkle in distant villages. »
[eyes] pétillement, pétiller « I noticed a twinkle in her eye at the suggestion. »
[eyes] pétillement, pétiller « I noticed a twinkle in her eye at the suggestion. »
sprout
pousser, germer « If you leave onions long enough they will start to sprout. » « Is it safe to eat potatoes that have sprouted ? » « Chinese restaurants have sprouted everywhere. »
Brussels sprouts = choux de Bruxelles.
Brussels sprouts = choux de Bruxelles.
rotten
pourri « The front bay window is rotten » « It's a rotten idea. » « what rotten weather! »
a rotten apple = une pomme pourrie. Fig: une brebis galeuse. « Police corruption is not just a few rotten apples. »
dégueulasse (fig.) That's a rotten thing to do = c'est dégueulasse de faire une chose pareille.
to feel rotten = se sentir honteux.
a rotten apple = une pomme pourrie. Fig: une brebis galeuse. « Police corruption is not just a few rotten apples. »
dégueulasse (fig.) That's a rotten thing to do = c'est dégueulasse de faire une chose pareille.
to feel rotten = se sentir honteux.
rife
répandu.
to be rife [corruption, disease] = sévir, aller bon train « Unemployment is rife. » « Bribery and corruption were rife in the industry. »
rumours are rife = de nombreuses rumeurs circulent.
rife with sth = en proie à qch « Politicians world is rife with jealousy. » « Hollywood soon became rife with rumors. »
to be rife [corruption, disease] = sévir, aller bon train « Unemployment is rife. » « Bribery and corruption were rife in the industry. »
rumours are rife = de nombreuses rumeurs circulent.
rife with sth = en proie à qch « Politicians world is rife with jealousy. » « Hollywood soon became rife with rumors. »
stroller
poussette
dumbass
idiot. « You're gonna get us all killed, dumbass ! »
whistleblower
dénonciateur, lanceur d'alerte. « Edward Snowden is a well known whistleblower. »
weird
bizarre « He wasn't mad but he was certainly weird. »
weirdo = type bizarre, farfelu.
weirdo = type bizarre, farfelu.
to backfire
avoir l'effet inverse que prévu « The President's tactics could backfire. » « The rehousing scheme backfired when refugees decided they did not want to move . »
to backfire on sb = se retourner contre qn « His plan backfired on him. »
pétarader « The car backfired. »
backfire = retour de flamme.
to backfire on sb = se retourner contre qn « His plan backfired on him. »
pétarader « The car backfired. »
backfire = retour de flamme.
to carry a torch for sb
Être amoureux de qqn. « Terry has been carrying a torch for Liz for years, but she seems not to notice. »
amid
au milieu de, parmi « a tiny bungalow amid clusters of trees. » « She was sitting amid a swarm of photographers. » « Children were changing classrooms amid laughter and shouts. »
swarm
essaim, nuée « She left amid a swarm of photographers. »
se regrouper en masse, fourmiller, grouiller « They swarmed across the bridge. »
to be swarming with people = grouiller de monde « The White House was swarming with security men. »
se regrouper en masse, fourmiller, grouiller « They swarmed across the bridge. »
to be swarming with people = grouiller de monde « The White House was swarming with security men. »
bland
fade, insipide, sans relief « Henry has a blander personality than Howard » « bland vegetable soup » « the film was bland and forgettable. »
chubby
potelé
chubby-faced = joufflu
chubby-faced = joufflu
chin
menton
the ball of the foot
la plante du pied
chandelier
lustre
grueling
exténuant, éprouvant. Grueling schedule, grueling day. « A grueling eight-year conflict. »
downfall
fig.: chute, ruine « his lack of experience had led to his downfall » « his honesty had been his downfall. »
to cater for
préparer des repas (pour)
satisfaire, pourvoir à « In a consumer society no effort is made to cater for the needs of the elderly. »
s'adresser à, pourvoir aux besoins de « we can cater for all age groups in our summer schools. »
satisfaire, pourvoir à « In a consumer society no effort is made to cater for the needs of the elderly. »
s'adresser à, pourvoir aux besoins de « we can cater for all age groups in our summer schools. »
tangle
enchevêtrement « a tangle of wires. »
to be in a tangle, to be tangled = être emmêlé « I've got my shoelaces in a bit of a tangle. »
fig.: « a confused tangle of plots and subplots. » « My tax affairs were in a complete tangle » (= "sac de nœuds").
fig.: to be in a tangle = être en pleine confusion.
to tangle = s'emmêler « her hair tends to tangle. »
to be in a tangle, to be tangled = être emmêlé « I've got my shoelaces in a bit of a tangle. »
fig.: « a confused tangle of plots and subplots. » « My tax affairs were in a complete tangle » (= "sac de nœuds").
fig.: to be in a tangle = être en pleine confusion.
to tangle = s'emmêler « her hair tends to tangle. »
leaf blower
souffleur de feuillesto nod
faire oui de la tête « "Are you okay?" I asked. She nodded. »
faire un signe de tête « All the girls nodded and said "Hi". »
faire un signe de tête « All the girls nodded and said "Hi". »
to flounder
battre de l'aile « The economy was floundering. »
tourner en rond « I was floundering. I worked in a number of jobs. I had no direction in my life. »
tourner en rond « I was floundering. I worked in a number of jobs. I had no direction in my life. »
gizmo
truc, gadget « a plastic gizmo for holding a coffee cup on the dashboard. »
mundane
banal, terre à terre « our robot can do most of the mundane work for you » « the mundane realities of life »
to pencil in
[+appointment] fixer provisoirement « The tour was pencilled in for the following March. »
to pencil sb in (for appointment) compter sur, marquer qn provisoirement « I'll pencil you in for Friday. Phone me if you need to cancel. »
to pencil sb in (for appointment) compter sur, marquer qn provisoirement « I'll pencil you in for Friday. Phone me if you need to cancel. »
pole
perche « using a pole, he pushed the boat away from the shore. »
pole jump = saut m à la perche.
pole dancing = danse érotique autour d'une barre métallique.
telegraph pole = poteau télégraphique
pole jump = saut m à la perche.
pole dancing = danse érotique autour d'une barre métallique.
telegraph pole = poteau télégraphique
to spawn
engendrer « the computer revolution and the devices it has spawned. »
frayer, frai (poissons).
frayer, frai (poissons).
to snoop
fouiner « she's always snooping, trying to find out what we're up to. »
to snoop on sb = espionner qn
to snoop on sb = espionner qn
terse
concis ; laconique « Jade is a terse and simple javascript templating language. »