French–English dictionary

par la présente

(formal) By this means, action or process.

par la suite

(temporal location) At a later or succeeding time; after that;

par le travers

Along the side; by the side; side by side; abreast.

par le travers de

Side by side with.

par lequel

By which.

par magie

In a magical manner; by magic, or as if by magic.

par mégarde

Unintentionally; because of an oversight.

par personne

Per person.

par procuration

(legal) by the agency of, especially when signing a letter in place of someone else

par quoi

By which.

par voie

(medicine) By the, by means of the, via the, through the.

par-delà

Further away than.

par-dessus

Over or upon different parts of; through or over in various directions; here and there in; to and fro in; throughout. [from ca. 1150–1350]

par-dessus bord

To eject from a boat, submarine, aircraft, spaceship or hot-air balloon, so as to lighten the load.

Pará

A state of the North Region, Brazil. Capital: Belém.

parable

Capable of being prevented.

parabole

(telecommunication) A type of antenna with a similar shape to a plate or bowl.

parabolique

(chiefly, mathematics) Of, or pertaining to, or in the shape of a parabola or paraboloid.

Paracelse

The adopted name of Philippus von Hohenheim, a Swiss thinker of the 16th century known for his pioneering scientific work and his research into the occult and alchemy.

paracétamol

(North America) A white crystalline compound used in medicine as an anodyne to relieve pain and reduce fever.

parachuter

To deliver goods, equipment, or personnel by dropping them from an aircraft in flight.

parachutisme

The sport or activity of jumping with a parachute.

parachutiste

Someone who jumps from an aircraft using a parachute, especially as a sport.

parachutiste militaire

A type of soldier who is trained to enter combat zones by parachuting from aircraft.

parade

A public procession, especially one commemorating a holiday or special event or (dated) in protest.

parader

(colloquial, figuratively) To strut about in a showy manner.

paradis

(religion) Heaven.

paradis terrestre

(religion) The Garden of Eden.

paradoxal

Having self-contradictory properties.

paradoxe

An apparently self-contradictory statement, which can only be true if it is false, and vice versa.

paraffine

(petrochemistry, organic compound) Any member of the alkane hydrocarbons.

paraffiner

To impregnate or treat with paraffin.

paragraphe

The symbol §, used to refer to a particular section of a document, such as a legal code.

Paraguay

A country in South America. Official name: Republic of Paraguay. Capital and largest city: Asunción.

paraît-il

According to reports or rumors. [from 19th c.]

paraître

(intransitive) To come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible.

parajuriste

(legal) One who assists a lawyer in routine legal work, but who is without qualified status as a solicitor or barrister (England and Wales), attorney (U.S.), or advocate; known more commonly in the U.S. as a legal assistant.

paralégal

(legal) One who assists a lawyer in routine legal work, but who is without qualified status as a solicitor or barrister (England and Wales), attorney (U.S.), or advocate; known more commonly in the U.S. as a legal assistant.

parallèle

(computing, of code) Designed to run independently, rather than sequentially, using various mechanisms, such as threads, event loops or time-slicing.

parallèle à

Having the same overall direction; the comparison is indicated with "to".

parallèlement

With a parallel relationship.

paralysant

That paralyzes.

paralysateur

That paralyzes.

paralysé

Partly or wholly incapable of movement; disabled.

paralyser

(transitive, figurative) To cripple; to incapacitate; to disable. [from 1640s]

paralysie

(road transport) A condition of total, interlocking traffic congestion on the streets or highways of a crowded city, in which no one can move because everyone is in someone else's way.

paralytique

Someone suffering from paralysis.

paramètres par défaut

(electronics, computing) the original software programming settings as set by the factory

paramètres régionaux

(computing) The set of settings related to the language and region in which a computer program executes. Examples are language, currency and time formats, character encoding etc.

paramètres usine

(electronics, computing) the original software programming settings as set by the factory

paramilitaire

Relating to a paramilitary. [1935]

parangon

(figuratively) That which serves to guide or direct; a guiding star.

parangonner

To serve as a model for; to surpass.

parano

A person suffering from paranoia.

paranoïaque

Pertaining to, or exhibiting, paranoia.

paranormal

Of events, experiences, or phenomenona, that cannot be explained by current scientific understanding or natural laws.

parapet

(military) A fortification consisting of a wall.

parapher

(transitive) To sign one's initial(s), as an abbreviated signature.

paraphernal

(legal) Of or pertaining to a woman's parapherna

paraphrase

A restatement of a text in different words, often to clarify meaning or from memory rather than verbatim.

paraphraser

(ambitransitive) To restate something as, or to compose a paraphrase. To repeat a written or spoken phrase/quote using different words, often in a simpler and shorter form, or sometimes in a humorous context.

paraplégique

Of, related to, or suffering from paraplegia. Paralyzed from the lower half of the body down.

parapluie

A cloth-covered frame used for protection against rain or sun.

parapsychologie

The study of alleged paranormal phenomena; psychic or occult phenomena, such as telepathy and ghosts.

parascolaire

Outside of the normal curriculum of an educational establishment.

parasite

(biology) An organism that lives on or in another organism of a different species, deriving benefit from living on or in that other organism, while not contributing towards that other organism sufficiently to cover the cost to that other organism.

parasites

(uncountable) Interference on a broadcast signal caused by atmospheric disturbances; heard as crackles on radio, or seen as random specks on television.

parasol

A small light umbrella used as protection from the sun.

parâtre

(in the narrow sense) The husband of one's biological mother after her initial marriage to or relationship with one's biological father.

parbleu

(obsolete, Classics) Invocation of the Roman god Jupiter.

parc

(in the plural) Such an ornamental place to which the public have access.

parc à bébé

An enclosure in which babies or small children can play.

parc à moutons

A pen or enclosure for sheep or other domestic animals.

parc de machines

The machines constituting a production apparatus, in a plant etc., collectively.

parc pour bébé

An enclosure in which babies or small children can play.

parce que

By or for the cause that; on this account that; for the reason that.

parce que c'est comme ça

Used alone to refuse to provide a full answer to a question begun with "why", usually taken as an anapodoton of the elided full phrase "Because I said so".

parcelle

A distinct portion or plot of land, usually smaller than a field.

parchemin

Stiff paper imitating that material.

parcimonie

Great reluctance to spend money unnecessarily.

parcimonieusement

In a sparing manner; with frugality, moderation, scantiness, reserve, forbearance, or the like; sparsely.

parcimonieux

Exhibiting parsimony; sparing in the expenditure of money; frugal, possibly to excess.

parcourir

To scan, to casually look through in order to find items of interest, especially without knowledge of what to look for beforehand.

parcours

The itinerary of a race.

parcours du combattant

(figuratively) Any challenging, difficult, or painful ordeal, often one performed for atonement or punishment.

parcours libre entre tee et green

(golf) The area between the tee and the green, where the grass is cut short.

pardessus

(countable, clothing) An outer garment covering the upper torso and arms.

pardi

(dated, or, literary) An exclamation used to express pleasant or unpleasant mild surprise, indignation, or impatience.

pardon

Indicates the speaker's apology.

pardonnable

Able to be forgiven; worthy of forgiveness.

pardonner

(transitive) To forgive; to pardon; to overlook.

pare-balle

(of a material) Capable of withstanding a direct shot by a bullet fired from a gun.

pare-brise

(North America, Philippines) A transparent screen made of glass, located at the front and back of a vehicle in front of its occupants to protect them from the wind force generated by the vehicle's speed and inclement weather.

pare-buffle

(chiefly, Australia, NZ) A welded framework of metal bars at a vehicle's front, designed to protect it during collisions with animals, but often purchased as a fashion accessory.

pare-choc

(automotive) Parts at the front and back of a vehicle which are meant to absorb the impact of a collision; fender.

pare-chocs

(automotive) Parts at the front and back of a vehicle which are meant to absorb the impact of a collision; fender.

pare-feu

(computer security) The software that monitors traffic in and out of a private network or a personal computer and allows or blocks such traffic depending on its perceived threat.

parebrise

(North America, Philippines) A transparent screen made of glass, located at the front and back of a vehicle in front of its occupants to protect them from the wind force generated by the vehicle's speed and inclement weather.

paréidolie

(psychology) The tendency to interpret a vague stimulus as something known to the observer, such as interpreting marks on Mars as canals, seeing shapes in clouds, or hearing hidden messages in music.

pareil

Having resemblance or similitude; similar; without difference.

pareille

Somebody who is, or something that is, at a level or of a value equal (to that of something else).

pareillement

In the same manner, form, or degree; in common; equally.

parelle

Any of the genus Rumex of coarse weedy plants with small green flowers related to buckwheat, especially bitter dock (Rumex obtusifolius), and used as potherbs and in folk medicine, especially in curing nettle rash.

parement

The most external portion of exterior siding.

parent

A person belonging to a particular family; a close relative or relation.

parentage

A member of one's extended family; a relative.

parentaille

A member of one's extended family; a relative.

parental

Of or relating to a parent.

parentalité

The state of being a parent

parenté

One or more relatives, such as siblings or cousins, taken collectively.

parentèle

A member of one's extended family; a relative.

parer

(sports) To catch or deflect (a shot at goal).

paresse

(now, literary) Sloth, slothfulness, especially as inducing general listlessness and apathy. [from 13th c.]

paresser

(intransitive) To do nothing, to be idle.

paresseuse

(slang) A lazy person, one who lollygags; a slacker, ne'er-do-well.

paresseusement

In a lazy manner.

paresseux

Unwilling to do work or make an effort; disinclined to exertion.

parfaire

(transitive) To make perfect; to improve or hone.

parfait

Without flaws, defects, or shortcomings; perfect.

parfaitement

To a great degree; notably; highly.

parfois

(idiomatic) On occasion, sometimes.

parfum

A smell; especially a pleasant spicy or fragrant one.

parfumé

Scented, having been given a pleasant smell.

parfumer

(transitive) To apply perfume to; to fill or impregnate with a perfume; to scent.

parhélie

Synonym of sun dog (“a bright spot in the sky, usually one of two on the parhelic circle on both sides of the sun (or occasionally above and below it), caused by the refraction of the sun's image through ice crystals”).

pari

A wager, an agreement between two parties that a stake (usually money) will be paid by the loser to the winner (the winner being the one who correctly forecast the outcome of an event).

paria

A member of a South Asian group of people traditionally regarded as untouchables or outcastes.

parier

To make an investment in money, effort, or time before knowing one's chances.

pariétal

(anatomy) Of or relating to the wall of a body part, organ or cavity.

parieur

One who plays at a game of chance, who gambles.

parieuse

(Scotland) A person who trades with a gang but is not a gang member.

Paris

(Greek mythology) A Trojan prince who eloped with Helen.

parisien

Of, relating, or pertaining to Paris, France

Parisienne

A native, citizen and/or inhabitant of Paris, France

parjure

Breach or breaking of an oath; perjury.

parjurer

(intransitive, or, reflexive) To commit perjury; to break an oath.

parka

(clothing) A long jacket with a hood which protects the wearer against rain and wind.

parking

Space in which to park a car or other vehicle, such as a parking lot or curbside parking.

Parkinson

A surname originating as a patronymic.

parkour

The activity of combining parkour with gymnastics to pass obstacles and demonstrate athletic talent, most often in urban environments.

parlé

(linguistics) Characteristic of familiar conversation, of common parlance; informal.

parlement

(politics) A legislative body.

parlementaire

(UK, Canada, Australia, NZ) A representative elected by the voters of an electoral district to a house of a parliament.

parler

To talk more than a few words.

parler couramment

Able to use a language accurately, rapidly, and confidently.

parler longuement

To write or speak at length; to be copious in argument or discussion.

parleur

One who speaks.

parleuse

One who speaks.

parlez

(procedure word, military) A radio procedure word meaning that the station is finished with its transmission and is expecting a response.

parloir

(dated, except in, Mid-Atlantic US) The living room of a house, or a room for entertaining guests; a room for talking; a sitting-room or drawing room.