French–English dictionary

pouce-pied

A marine crustacean of the subclass Cirripedia that attaches itself to submerged surfaces such as tidal rocks or the bottoms of ships.

Poucette

A fairy tale about a thumb-sized girl.

pouceux

A person or thing that hitchhikes.

Pouchkine

A transliteration of the Russian surname Пу́шкин (Púškin).

Poudlard

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a school for learning magic in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series.

poudre

An explosive mixture of saltpetre (potassium nitrate), charcoal and sulfur; formerly used in gunnery but now mostly used in fireworks.

poudre à canon

An explosive mixture of saltpetre (potassium nitrate), charcoal and sulfur; formerly used in gunnery but now mostly used in fireworks.

poudrer

(transitive) To sprinkle with powder, or as if with powder.

poudreux

Of or pertaining to powder.

poudrier

A slim folding case, often featuring a mirror, powder and a powder puff, small enough to fit in a woman's purse, handbag, or pocket.

poudroiement

Very fine solid particles (smoke, dust) or liquid droplets (moisture) suspended in the air, slightly limiting visibility. (Compare fog, mist.)

pouet

The sound produced by the horn of a car, or any similar sound.

pouf

A thick cushion used as a seat; an ottoman or pouffe.

pouilleux

(uncountable) A children's card game, sometimes played with a special deck, where the object of the game is for each player to find matches for all the cards in his hand, without being stuck with the single unmatchable card.

poulaga

(slang, law enforcement) A police officer.

poulailler

A basket, pen or enclosure for birds or small animals.

poulain

A young male horse.

poule

(UK, Ireland, colloquial, by extension) A girlfriend. [from early 20th c.]

poule mouillée

(countable, slang, sometimes, derogatory) A coward.

poulet

(US, slang) A policeman; a detective; a railroad security guard.

poulets

(US, slang, with "the") The police, or any law enforcement agency.

poulette

A young hen, especially one less than a year old. [from 14th c.]

pouliche

A young female horse.

poulie

(engineering, countable) One of the simple machines; a sheave, a wheel with a grooved rim, in which a pulled rope or chain lifts an object (more useful when two or more pulleys are used together, as in a block and tackle arrangement, such that a small force moving through a greater distance can exert a larger force through a smaller distance).

pouliner

(ambitransitive) To give birth to (a foal); to bear offspring.

poulpe

(countable, strictly) A mollusc from genus Octopus.

poumon

(anatomy) A biological organ of vertebrates that controls breathing and oxygenates the blood.

poupe

(nautical) The rear part (after end) of a ship or other vessel.

poupée

(smoking) An unfinished cigar, before the wrapper leaf is added.

poupon

A child's doll designed to look like a baby.

pouponner

(transitive) To coddle; to pamper somebody like an infant.

pouponnière

(countable) A place where nursing or the raising of children is carried on.

pour

In anticipation of; in preparation for (a particular time, event etc.).

pour ainsi dire

Used to indicate that a word or statement is perhaps not exact though practically right; as if it were so.

pour ça

(conjunctive) Consequently, by or in consequence of that or this cause; referring to something previously stated.

pour ce que ça vaut

Considering what limited worth this advice, opinion, or suggestion might have for you; used to soften the presentation of unsolicited advice or information that may not be relevant.

pour ce que cela vaut

Considering what limited worth this advice, opinion, or suggestion might have for you; used to soften the presentation of unsolicited advice or information that may not be relevant.

pour de faux

Not really what it is represented as being; imaginary, feigned.

pour estre

By the standards of, usually with the implication that those standards are lower than one might otherwise expect; considering.

pour être honnête

(sentence adverb) Frankly, to be honest.

pour finir

(idiomatic) in the end, however; used in referring to something that was believed to be the case, but is not; or to an outcome that is not what was expected or predicted.

pour la plupart

For the most part; mainly or chiefly.

pour le reste

(conjunctive) In all other respects.

pour peu que

(idiomatic) Provided that, if, assuming (depending upon some condition or requirement).

pour que

So that; used to indicate purpose

pour sûr

An emphatic affirmative answer; of course.

pour toujours

(duration) For all time, for all eternity; for a lifetime; for an infinite amount of time.

pour trois

Designed for three users.

pourboire

An additional payment given freely as thanks for service.

pourceau

(countable) Any of several mammalian species of the family Suidae, having cloven hooves, bristles and a snout adapted for digging; especially the domesticated animal Sus domesticus.

Pourim

(Judaism) A Jewish festival, celebrated on the 14th day of Adar, commemorating the deliverance of the Persian Jews from a complete massacre at the hand of Haman the Amalekite.

pourliche

A gratuity; a small amount of money left for a bartender, waiter, taxi driver or other servant as a token of appreciation. [from mid-18th c.]

pourparlers

The process of achieving agreement through discussion.

pourpoint

A man’s close-fitting jacket, with or without sleeves, worn by European men from the 1400s to the 1600s.

pourpre

A deep, slightly bluish red.

pourquoi

(idiomatic, informal) Why; why is it; for what reason or purpose; due to what cause?

pourrave

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) Unsound and unreliable.

pourri

(informal) Cheap, of poor quality.

pourriel

(post) Any mail or letters that are not welcome or solicited and typically sent in bulk; especially mail of a commercial nature such as advertising circulars and form letters.

pourrieller

(transitive, intransitive, computing, Internet) To send messages repeatedly, often with disruptive effect; to flood.

pourrir

(intransitive) To deteriorate, to get worse, to lose strength or health, to decline in quality.

pourriture

The act of corrupting or of impairing integrity, virtue, or moral principle; the state of being corrupted or debased; loss of purity or integrity.

poursuite

(real tennis) The occurrence of a second bounce by the ball in certain areas of the court, giving the server the chance, later in the game, to "play off" the chase from the receiving end and possibly win the point.

poursuite judiciaire

(legal) In civil law, a case where two or more people disagree and one or more of the parties take the case to a court for resolution.

poursuivant

Something or someone who chases. [from 14th c.]

poursuivante

Something or someone who chases. [from 14th c.]

poursuivre

(idiomatic, transitive, intransitive) To take baggage or luggage onto an airplane, rather than check it.

poursuivre en justice

(transitive, law) To start criminal proceedings against.

pourtant

(conjunctive) Nevertheless; yet, still; in spite of that.

pourvoir

To furnish (with), cause to be present, supply.

pourvoirie

A business that provides services for outdoor activities including accommodations.

pourvu que

(idiomatic) Provided that, if, assuming (depending upon some condition or requirement).

pousse

The emerging stem and embryonic leaves of a new plant.

pousse-alcool

(slang) A drink consumed after another of a different kind.

pousse-pousse

A two-wheeled carriage pulled along by a person.

poussée

A short, directed application of force; an act of pushing.

pousser

(transitive) (especially of animals) To impel or urge onward by force; to push forward; to compel to move on.

poussette

(musical instruments, lutherie) The small section of a stringed instrument's bow near the heel having grippy material such as goatskin leather or snakeskin wrapped tightly around the bow stick between the lapping and the frog, so as to facilitate it being held and to protect the stick.

pousseur

(horse racing) Someone responsible for manoeuvring the horse between the gates before the start of a race.

poussière

(countable, obsolete) A single fine, dry particle of earth or other material; grain of dust.

poussière cosmique

Dust which exists in outer space or has fallen from outer space to Earth.

poussière d'étoiles

(informal, dated) A distant cluster of stars resembling a cloud of dust, especially if the individual stars of which cannot be resolved with a telescope.

poussiéreux

Covered with dust.

poussif

Slow; having little motion.

poussin

A young bird.

Poutine

A surname from Russian.

poutre

(gymnastics) A gymnastics apparatus, a narrow wooden rail used in artistic (athletic) gymnastics.

poutrelle

A beam of steel, wood, or reinforced concrete, used as a main horizontal support in a building or structure.

poutrer

(idiomatic) To trounce; to defeat thoroughly, as at a game or in battle.

poutzer

(transitive) To remove dirt from a place or object.

pouvoir

All right, acceptable, permitted.

Power

A surname.

PQ

(North America, informal, mildly, vulgar, offensive, or, derogatory) An annoying, contemptible, or worthless person.

pragmatique

(idiomatic) Hardheaded, stubborn.

pragois

The capital city of the Czech Republic; the former capital of Czechoslovakia; the former capital of the Kingdom of Bohemia.

Prague

The capital city of the Czech Republic; the former capital of Czechoslovakia; the former capital of the Kingdom of Bohemia.

praguois

The capital city of the Czech Republic; the former capital of Czechoslovakia; the former capital of the Kingdom of Bohemia.

prairie

An area dominated by grass or grasslike vegetation.

praline

A style of high-quality chocolate originating from Belgium, but now produced worldwide.

praticabilité

The state of being practicable; feasibility

praticable

A platform or stand used to lift or elevate something.

praticien

A person who practices a profession or art, especially law or medicine.

praticité

(uncountable) The state of being practical or feasible.

pratique

Serving to reduce a difficulty, or accessible with minimum difficulty; expedient.

pratiquement

almost, virtually, practically; tantamount to

pratiquer

(transitive) To repeat (an activity) as a way of improving one's skill in that activity.

PRE

A horse of a breed from the Iberian Peninsula, with long, thick mane and tail.

pré-

Before; earlier in time; beforehand.

préalable

Required as a prior condition of something else; necessary or indispensable.

préalablement

At an earlier or preceding time.

préambule

A short preliminary statement or remark, especially an explanatory introduction to a formal document or statute.

précaire

(comparable) Dangerously insecure or unstable; perilous.

précarité

A state of being uncertain or unstable.

précaution

A careful attention to the probable effects of an act, in order that failure or harm may be avoided.

précautionneusement

In a cautious manner.

précautionneux

Of, pertaining to, or serving as a precaution.

précédemment

(with past-tense constructions) At an earlier time; already.

précédent

Occurring before or in front of something else, in time, place, rank or sequence.

précéder

(transitive) To have higher rank than (someone or something else).

précepte

A rule or principle, especially one governing personal conduct.

préchauffer

(transitive) to heat beforehand or in advance, to heat something in preparation for further action

prêcher

(transitive) To proclaim by public discourse; to utter in a sermon or a formal religious harangue.

prêcheur

Someone who preaches a worldview, philosophy, or religion, especially someone who preaches the gospel and especially a clergyman or clergywoman. In a religious context, usually used only to refer to Protestant Christian clergy.

précieux

Of high value or worth.

précipice

(frequently, figurative) A bottomless or unfathomed depth, gulf, or chasm; hence, any deep, immeasurable; any void space. [First attested in the late 16th century.]

précipitamment

In an abrupt manner; without giving notice, or without the usual forms; suddenly; precipitously. [First attested in the late 16th century.]

précipitation

Rushed action.

précipitations

(meteorology) The amount of rain that falls on a single occasion

precipité

Without notice to prepare the mind for the event; sudden; hasty; unceremonious. [First attested in the late 16th century.]

précipiter

(transitive) To accelerate the progress of.

précis

Telling the truth or giving a true result; exact; not defective or faulty

précisément

In an accurate manner; exactly; precisely; without error or defect.

préciser

(transitive, idiomatic) To specify, especially in detail.

précision

The state of being accurate; being free from error; exactness; correctness

précoce

Arriving a time before expected; sooner than on time.

précognition

(parapsychology) Knowledge of the future; understanding of something in advance, especially as a form of supernatural or extrasensory perception. [from 15th c.]

précompte

(law, finance) A sum withheld from an employee's pay for the purpose of paying tax.

préconception

An opinion formed before obtaining adequate evidence, especially as the result of bias or prejudice.

préconçu

(of an opinion or notion) Conceived beforehand: formed ahead of time.

préconiser

(transitive) To encourage support for something.

précurseur

That which precurses: a forerunner, predecessor, or indicator of approaching events.

précurseuse

That which precurses: a forerunner, predecessor, or indicator of approaching events.

prédateur

Any animal or other organism that hunts and kills other non-plant organisms (their prey), primarily for food.

prédation

(zoology) The preying of one animal on others.

prédécéder

(transitive) To die sooner than.

prédécès

The death of one person or thing before another.

prédécesseur

A precursor or harbinger, a warning ahead.

prédécesseuse

One who precedes; one who has preceded another in any state, position, office, etc.; one whom another follows or comes after, in any office or position.

prédécessrice

One who precedes; one who has preceded another in any state, position, office, etc.; one whom another follows or comes after, in any office or position.

prédestination

(theology) The doctrine that everything has been foreordained by God or by fate.