French–English dictionary

sabotage

A deliberate action aimed at weakening someone (or something, a nation, etc) or preventing them from being successful, through subversion, obstruction, disruption, and/or destruction.

saboter

To deliberately destroy or damage something in order to prevent it from being successful.

saboteur

A person who intentionally causes the destruction of property in order to hinder the efforts of their enemy.

saboteuse

A person who intentionally causes the destruction of property in order to hinder the efforts of their enemy.

sabre d'abordage

(nautical) A short sword with a curved blade, and a convex edge; once used by sailors when boarding an enemy ship.

sabre laser

(science fiction) A sword having a blade made of a powerful beam of light or energy. [from 1977.]

sabre-laser

(science fiction) A sword having a blade made of a powerful beam of light or energy. [from 1977.]

sabrer

To cut with a swift broad stroke of an edged weapon.

sabrolaser

(science fiction) A sword having a blade made of a powerful beam of light or energy. [from 1977.]

sac

A container made of leather, plastic, or other material, usually with a handle or handles, in which you carry personal items, or clothes or other things that you need for travelling. Includes shopping bags, schoolbags, suitcases, briefcases, handbags, backpacks, etc.

sac à dos

A knapsack, sometimes mounted on a light frame, but always supported by straps, worn on a person’s back for the purpose of carrying things, especially when hiking, or on a student's back when carrying books.

sac à foutre

(figuratively, originally, US, colloquial, derogatory) A person who is slimy (that is, sneaky or underhanded) or otherwise undesirable.

sac à main

(now, rare) A small bag carried in the hand, used either when travelling or to carry tools for a specific job. [from 19th c.]

sac à merde

(informal, mildly, vulgar) A sleazy, disreputable or despicable person; a lowlife.

sac à puces

(slang, derogatory) An unkempt mammal, especially a dog or cat.

sac à vin

(pejorative) A chronic or heavy drinker of cheap wine or other alcohol; especially, a drunkard.

sac de nœuds

(idiomatic) A complex, troublesome situation arising when a decision or action produces considerable subsequent problems.

sac de sable

A small bag filled with sand and used as a cudgel.

saccadé

(of the surface of water) Having many small, rough waves.

saccadée

Characterized by physical jerking, or by sudden and uneven progress.

saccage

A course of violent, frenzied action.

saccager

(transitive) To perform (a task) in an unacceptable or incompetent manner; to make a mess of something

saccharide

(carbohydrate) The unit structure of carbohydrates, of general formula CnH2nOn. Either the simple sugars or polymers such as starch and cellulose. The saccharides exist in either a ring or short chain conformation, and typically contain five or six carbon atoms.

saccharifier

(biochemistry, transitive) To convert (soluble polysaccharides) into simple sugars

sacerdoce

The role or office of a priest.

sacerdotal

(religion) Of or relating to priests or a high religious order; priestly.

sachet

A container made of leather, plastic, or other material, usually with a handle or handles, in which you carry personal items, or clothes or other things that you need for travelling. Includes shopping bags, schoolbags, suitcases, briefcases, handbags, backpacks, etc.

sacoche

(now, rare) A small bag carried in the hand, used either when travelling or to carry tools for a specific job. [from 19th c.]

sacralité

The property of being sacred.

Sacramento

The capital city of California, United States and the county seat of Sacramento County.

sacré

(idiomatic, pejorative) Complete, utter, total.

sacrebleu

(mildly, profane) An expression of surprise, outrage, or frustration.

sacrée

(British, AU, dated) A euphemism for the intensifier bloody.

sacrément

To a significant degree.

sacrifiable

Regarded as not worth preserving or saving; able to be sacrificed.

sacrificateur

A religious clergyman (clergywoman, clergyperson) who is trained to perform services or sacrifices at a church or temple.

sacrificatrice

A religious clergyman (clergywoman, clergyperson) who is trained to perform services or sacrifices at a church or temple.

sacrifice

A human being or an animal, or a physical object or immaterial thing (see sense 1.3), offered to a deity.

sacrificiel

Relating to sacrifice

sacrilège

Treating sacred things with contempt, disrespect, irreverence, or scorn; blasphemous, impious.

sacripant

A mischievous person, especially a playful, impish youngster.

sacristain

The person who maintains the sacristy and the sacred objects it contains.

sacristaine

The person who maintains the sacristy and the sacred objects it contains.

sacriste

A church official who looks after a church building and its graveyard and may act as a gravedigger and bell ringer.

sacristie

A room in a church where sacred vessels, books, vestments, etc. are kept. Sometimes also used by clergy to prepare for worship or for meetings.

sacrum

(anatomy) A large triangular bone at the base of the spine, located between the two ilia (wings of the pelvis) and formed from vertebrae that fuse in adulthood.

sadique

One who derives pleasure through cruelty or pain to others.

sadiquement

In a ruthless manner; with cruelty; without pity or compassion.

sadiste

One who derives pleasure through cruelty or pain to others.

sadomasochisme

The practices of sadism and masochism collectively, usually in reference to consensual practices within the BDSM community.

safari

A trip into any undeveloped area to see, photograph or to hunt wild animals in their own environment.

safran

(nautical) An underwater vane used to steer a vessel. The rudder is controlled by means of a wheel, tiller or other apparatus (modern vessels can be controlled even with a joystick or an autopilot).

sagace

Quickly and critically discerning.

sagacité

The quality of being astute.

sage

Well-behaved (especially of children or animals).

sage-femme

(rare) A midwife.

sage-femme homme

(medicine) A person, especially a man, who delivers a baby (in childbirth).

sage-homme

(medicine) A person, especially a man, who delivers a baby (in childbirth).

sagement

In a wise manner; using good judgement.

Sagesse

(book of the bible) The Wisdom of Solomon, a book of the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox canon of the Old Testament, considered apocryphal by Protestants.

Sagittaire

(astrology) Someone with a Sagittarius star sign.

sagouin

A person who is filthy or vulgar in nature.

Sahara

A desert in North Africa and the largest hot desert in the world.

Saïd

A en given name.

saignant

Losing blood.

saignée

(historical, medicine) The archaic practice of treating illness by removing some blood, believed to be tainted, from the stricken person.

saignement

The flow or loss of blood from a damaged blood vessel.

saignement de nez

(symptom) Nosebleed.

saillance

The condition of being salient.

saillant

Projecting outwards.

saillie

A protuberance on a level surface.

saillir

(intransitive) To stick out.

sain

(dated) Sound, entire, healthy; robust, not impaired.

sain d'esprit

(idiomatic) Thinking clearly, sensibly, and reasonably.

sain et sauf

(idiomatic) Healthy; vital; in good health, particularly in opposition to unfavorable circumstances.

saindoux

Fat from the abdomen of a pig, especially as prepared for use in cooking or pharmacy.

Saint

A title given to a saint, often prefixed to the person's name.

Saint-Augustin

(typography, Continental, _, printing) The Continental equivalent of the English pica: a measure of 12 Didot points (4.51368 mm or about 0.178 in.) or a body of type in this size.

Saint-Graal

(Arthurian mythology) An artifact in Arthurian mythology, being the cup used by Christ at the Last Supper and in which some of his blood was caught during the crucifixion.

sainte

(obsolete, outside, set phrases) A saint; a holy person; an apostle.

Sainte Vierge

(euphemistic) An exclamation denoting surprise or frustration.

sainte-nitouche

A person who is or tries to be excessively proper, especially one who is easily offended by matters of a sexual nature.

sainteté

(countable) Used in connection with His or Your to address the leader of some religious traditions, notably the pope.

saisi de panique

In a state of panic.

saisie

(legal) Taking a person's property to satisfy a court-ordered debt.

saisie d'hypothèque

(legal) The proceeding, by a creditor, to regain property or other collateral following a default on mortgage payments.

saisie immobilière

(legal) The proceeding, by a creditor, to regain property or other collateral following a default on mortgage payments.

saisie mobilière

(legal) The legal right of a landlord to seize the property of a tenant in the event of nonpayment of rent.

saisie-arrêt

(legal) The legal right of a landlord to seize the property of a tenant in the event of nonpayment of rent.

saisie-exécution

(legal) The legal right of a landlord to seize the property of a tenant in the event of nonpayment of rent.

saisir

(intransitive) To be of use or advantage; to answer or serve the purpose; to have strength, force, or efficacy sufficient to accomplish the object.

saison

(North America, Australia, broadcasting) A group of episodes of a television or radio program broadcast in regular intervals with a long break between each group, usually with one year between the beginning of each.

saisonnier

(North America) Any migratory laborer, whether homeless or not.

saké

(alcohol) Rice wine; a drink made from filtered fermented rice.

salacité

(uncountable) The state or quality of being salacious; lewdness, obscenity, bawdiness.

salade

An edible plant, Lactuca sativa and its close relatives, having a head of green or purple leaves.

salade de chou

A salad of finely shredded raw cabbage and sometimes shredded carrots, dressed with mayonnaise (white slaw) or a vinaigrette (red slaw).

Saladin

(history) First sultan of Egypt and Syria and the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, who led the Muslim opposition to the European Crusaders in the Levant.

salaire

A payment for work done; wages, salary, emolument.

salam

A respectful ceremonial greeting used mostly by Muslims.

salami

A large cured meat sausage of Italian origin, served in slices.

salarié

A person who provides labor to a company or another person.

salariée

A person who provides labor to a company or another person.

salaud

(informal) a villain, particularly an antagonist in a story.

salaude

(colloquial, dated, not usually used in plural form) A contemptible person; one who is deceitful or causes harm.

Salé

A coastal city near Rabat in the region of Rabat-Salé-Kenitra, Morocco.

sale bougre

(colloquial, derogatory, slang, often preceded by "old", the "old buzzard") In North America, a curmudgeonly or cantankerous man; an old person; a mean, greedy person.

sale bougresse

(colloquial, derogatory, slang, often preceded by "old", the "old buzzard") In North America, a curmudgeonly or cantankerous man; an old person; a mean, greedy person.

salement

In a dirty manner.

saler

(transitive, ergative) To preserve food (or sometimes other things) in a salt, sugar or vinegar solution.

saleté

(chiefly, US) Soil or earth.

saleté repoussante

Filthiness and degradation, as from neglect or poverty

salin

Containing salt; salty.

salir

To make spiteful slanderous or defamatory statements about someone.

salissant

That makes one unclean; corrupting, infecting.

salissure

A smear, smudge or blot.

salive

(physiology) A clear, slightly alkaline liquid secreted into the mouth by the salivary glands and mucous glands, consisting of water, mucin, protein, and enzymes. It moistens the mouth, lubricates ingested food, and begins the breakdown of starches.

saliver

(ambitransitive) To secrete saliva, especially in anticipation of food.

salle

The space where the audience is located in a theater, etc.

salle d'attente

(British) The living room or sitting room of a house.

salle d'audience

A room in which a ruler or religious official holds audience (i.e. a formal meeting with a dignitary).

salle d'exposition

A room in a business set aside for the display of the company's products.

salle de bains

A building or area where bathing occurs.

salle de bal

A large room used for dancing and banquets.

salle de classe

A room, often in a school, where classes take place.

salle de gymnastique

(especially, weightlifting) A sports facility specialized for lifting weights, cardio machines, and other exercise (culturally differentiated from sense 1).

salle de jeu

(vulgar, slang) Vulva

salle de montre

A room in a business set aside for the display of the company's products.

salle de muscu

(especially, weightlifting) A sports facility specialized for lifting weights, cardio machines, and other exercise (culturally differentiated from sense 1).

salle de rédaction

The office of a news organisation, especially that part of it where the journalists work and news stories are processed.

salle de sport

(especially, weightlifting) A sports facility specialized for lifting weights, cardio machines, and other exercise (culturally differentiated from sense 1).

salle de traite

A shed used for milking cattle; a milking parlor.

salle des machines

(nautical) A compartment on a ship in which the engine machinery is located.

salle opératoire

A room or department where surgery is performed.

salmigondis

A collection containing a variety of miscellaneous things.

salmonelle

Any of the serotypes of the two species of rod-shaped bacteria, of the genus Salmonella, especially Salmonella enterica, that cause typhoid fever and salmonellosis, manifest as food poisoning and other diseases.

Salomé

(rare) A en given name.

Salomon

(Biblical character) In the Old Testament and Qur'an, a king of Israel famous for his wisdom; father of King Rehoboam and the son of King David.

salon

A small cavern or hollow place in the side of a hill, or among rocks; especially, a cave used by a wild animal for shelter or concealment.

salon de beauté

(US, Philippines) A salon where hairdressers, beauticians, and cosmeticians work.

salon de coiffure

(countable) The place of business of a barber; a store where a person (usually a male) can go to get a haircut.

salon de thé

A cafe or restaurant that serves tea, usually with light food.

Salonique

A port city, the capital of Central Macedonia, in northern Greece.

saloon

(US) A tavern, especially in an American Old West setting.

salop

(colloquial, dated, not usually used in plural form) A contemptible person; one who is deceitful or causes harm.

salopard

(colloquial, dated, not usually used in plural form) A contemptible person; one who is deceitful or causes harm.

saloparde

(colloquial, dated, not usually used in plural form) A contemptible person; one who is deceitful or causes harm.

salope

(colloquial, dated, not usually used in plural form) A contemptible person; one who is deceitful or causes harm.

salopette

Heavy denim pants or trousers, usually with bib and braces, worn especially as work clothing.

salsa

(countable) A spicy tomato sauce of Mexican origin, often including onions and hot peppers.