English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com

fléau — meaning in English

French → English · translate English → French instead

English meaning

  • bane noun A person or thing that causes constant trouble or ruin.
  • blight noun A plant disease, often caused by fungus, that causes rapid browning and death of leaves or stems.
  • flail noun An old farming tool with a short swinging stick attached to a handle, used to beat grain loose from its husks.
  • plague noun A deadly, fast-spreading disease, especially historically the bubonic plague.
  • scourge noun A whip, especially one with several lashes, historically used to punish or torture.

Senses

fléau is used for these senses in English:

  • bane (countable) A cause of misery or ruin.
  • blight (pathology, dated) A diseased condition of the face or skin; specifically, bleeding under the conjunctiva of the eye, a form of skin rash, or a palsy of the face due to cold.
  • blight Something that impedes development or growth, or spoils any other aspect of life.
  • flail A tool used for threshing, consisting of a long handle (handstock) with a shorter stick (swipple or swingle) attached with a short piece of chain, thong or similar material.
  • plague A widespread affliction, calamity, or destructive influx, especially when seen as divine retribution.
  • thresher (agriculture, historical) A now-obsolete hand tool for threshing, also called a flail.

blight — full definition

  1. noun A plant disease, often caused by fungus, that causes rapid browning and death of leaves or stems.
  2. noun Something that damages or holds back growth, development, or quality of life.
  3. verb To damage or spoil the growth or development of something.

Related French words