French–English dictionary

veuillez

Used to make a polite request: please.

veule

Showing cowardice; lacking in courage; weakly fearful.

veuve

(of a previously married person) Whose spouse has died or is gone missing; who has become a widow or widower.

vexé

Troubled, irritated by something unwanted or unliked (an annoyance); vexed.

vexer

(intransitive, figurative) To have a feeling of vexation; to be vexed; to fret; to be irritated.

vexillum

(ornithology) The flattened, web-like part of a feather, consisting of a series of barbs on either side of the shaft.

VHS

A type of videotape originally developed by the Japanese company JVC.

via

By the route of.

viabilité

The property of being viable; the ability to live or to succeed.

viable

Able to be sustained.

viaduc

(transport) A bridge with several spans that carries rail or road traffic over a valley or other obstacles.

viande

Animal tissue regarded as food; meat (but sometimes excluding fish).

viande de biche

The meat of a deer, typically one that had lived in its own natural habitat.

viande de dinde

(uncountable) The flesh or meat of this bird eaten as food.

viande de dindon

(uncountable) The flesh or meat of this bird eaten as food.

viande de mouton

The meat of sheep used as food.

viande de veau

The flesh of a calf (i.e. a young bovine) used for food.

viande hachée

(uncountable) Finely chopped meat; minced meat.

viandeux

(of a person) Having considerable flesh; plump.

vibe

(informal, originally, New Age jargon, often, in the plural) An atmosphere or aura felt to belong to a person, place or thing. [c. 1960s]

vibrateur

A device that vibrates or causes vibration.

vibration

A shake, quiver, or vibration.

vibrato

(music) The musical effect or technique where the pitch or frequency of a note or sound is quickly and repeatedly raised and lowered over a small distance for the duration of that note or sound.

vibrer

(intransitive) To vibrate or pulsate with a steady rhythm.

vibreur

A pattern of variation in a road's surface designed to alert inattentive drivers to potential danger by causing a tactile vibration and audible rumbling if they veer out of their lane.

vibrisse

One of the long, projecting hairs growing at the sides of the mouth of a cat, or other animal.

vibromasseur

A vibrating device used for massage or sexual stimulation.

vicaire

An assistant rector or vicar.

vice

(appellate, _, legal, uncountable) One or more mistakes in a trial that could be grounds for review of the judgement.

vice versa

The same but with the things or people mentioned in reverse order.

vice-

Taking the place or rank of (another person); deputy.

vice-roi

One who governs a country, province, or colony as the representative of a monarch.

Vicêtre

A city in and the county town of Hampshire, England.

Vichy

A town in Allier department, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, France; the capital of Vichy France during World War II.

vicieux

(archaic) Pertaining to vice; characterised by immorality or depravity.

vicinité

Neighbourhood; nearby region; surrounding area.

Vico

A city and commune of Corse-du-Sud department, Corsica, France.

vicomte

A member of the peerage, above a baron but below a count or earl.

victimation

An act that victimizes or exploits someone.

victime

(military) A person in military service who becomes unavailable for duty, for any reason (notably death, injury, illness, capture, or desertion).

victimer

(transitive) To make (someone) a victim or sacrifice.

victimisation

An act that victimizes or exploits someone.

victimiser

(transitive) To make (someone) a victim or sacrifice.

victimologie

The study of the victims of crime, and especially of the reasons some people are more prone to be victims.

Victoire

A en given name.

Victor

A en given name.

Victoria

A en given name.

victorieusement

in a victorious manner; as part of a victory

victorieux

Being the winner in a contest, struggle, war, etc.

victuaille

(archaic, chiefly, in the plural) Food supplies; provisions.

victuailles

(archaic, chiefly, in the plural) Food supplies; provisions.

vidage

The act of clearing or something (such as a space) cleared.

vide

The distance through which something drops, or falls below a certain level.

vidéo

(dated) VHS.

vidéo à la demande

(uncountable) Abbreviation of video on demand.

vidéo à la séance

(uncountable) Abbreviation of video on demand.

vidéo sur demande

(uncountable) Abbreviation of video on demand.

video-

moving images, especially television

vidéocassette

A small flat case containing magnetic tape on two reels, used to record and play back audio and video material.

vider

(ambitransitive) To empty or unload, as the vessels of the human system, by bloodletting or by medicine.

vider à longs traits

To drink or imbibe with vigour or relish; to drink copiously; to swallow in large draughts. [from mid-16th c.]

videur

(informal) A member of security personnel employed by bars, nightclubs, etc. to decide who can enter, maintain order, and deal with patrons who cause trouble.

vie

The duration of the life of someone or something.

vie après la mort

A conscious existence after death; a supernatural life that follows one's natural life, in some worldviews.

vie nocturne

Nocturnal activities, especially visiting nightclubs.

vie privée

(uncountable) The state of being secluded from the presence, sight, or knowledge of others.

vie réelle

Life outside of a contrived or fantastical environment; often used in comparison to events depicted in drama.

vieil

Of an object, concept, relationship, etc., having existed for a relatively long period of time.

vieillard

(informal, chiefly, North America, sometimes, mildly, derogatory) An old person, usually a male, typically a cranky old man.

vieille

(obsolete) An old man, especially one who talks and acts like an old woman.

vieille fille

(idiomatic, obsolete) An old maid.

vieilli

old-fashioned, out of date

vieillir

(ambitransitive) To make or become old, especially in such a way as to fall out of fashion, become less appealing or attractive, etc.

vieillissant

Becoming elderly.

vieillissement

The process of becoming older or more mature.

vieillot

(idiomatic) Out of date; old-fashioned; obsolete; outmoded; outdated.

Vienne

A state of Austria, including the city, within the state of Lower Austria.

viennois

Of or relating to Vienna (the capital of Austria).

Viennoise

An inhabitant or resident of Vienna.

Vierge

Someone with a Virgo star sign

Viêt Nam

A country in Southeast Asia. Official name: Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Capital: Hanoi.

Vietnam

A country in Southeast Asia. Official name: Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Capital: Hanoi.

vietnamien

Of or pertaining to Vietnam.

vieux

Having fallen into a state of disrepair or deterioration, especially through neglect.

vieux jeu

Plain and unfashionable in style or dress.

vieux slave

(dated) The unrecorded ancient language from which all of these languages developed.

vif

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

vif-argent

(science, historical) One of the elemental principles formerly thought to be present in all metals. [from 15th c.]

vigilance

The state of being wakeful.

vigilant

Vigilant or on one's guard against danger or difficulty.

vigne

The plant, a vine of genus Vitis, on which grapes grow.

vigneau

A mollusk of family Littorinidae.

vignette

A portion of a framed structure between adjacent posts or struts, as in a bridge truss.

vignoble

A grape plantation, especially one used in the production of wine.

vignot

A mollusk of family Littorinidae.

vigoureusement

With either physical or coercive force; in a forceful manner; vigorously; powerfully.

vigoureux

Having great vigour or energy; forceful.

vigueur

The quality or degree of being strong.

Viking

(historical) Scandinavian/Northern European seafarers, most familiarly raiders and pirates during the Viking age.

vil

That which is vile; vileness.

vilain

Mischievous; tending to misbehave or act badly (especially of a child). [from 17th c.]

vilain petit canard

(idiomatic) A person who is not wholesome, honest, or trustworthy.

vilipender

(transitive) To make defamatory statements about; to slander or traduce.

villa

A house, often larger and more expensive than average, in the countryside or on the coast, often used as a retreat.

village

(archaic, now, chiefly, _, in, _, placenames) A group of houses standing together in the country; a hamlet; a village.

villageois

A country person.

villageoise

A country person.

ville

(UK, historical) A rural settlement in which a market was held at least once a week.

ville natale

An individual’s place of birth, childhood home, or place of main residence.

villette

(UK, historical) A rural settlement in which a market was held at least once a week.

villotte

(UK, historical) A rural settlement in which a market was held at least once a week.

vin de Porto

A type of very sweet fortified wine, mostly dark red, traditionally made in Portugal.

vin rosé

(countable) A serving of such wine.

vinaigre

(uncountable) A sour liquid formed by the fermentation of alcohol used as a condiment or preservative; a dilute solution of acetic acid.

vinasse

(uncountable, UK, Irish, Commonwealth, informal) Cheap or inferior everyday wine.

Vincent

(countable) A en given name.

vincible

Capable of being defeated or overcome; assailable or vulnerable.

vindicatif

Vindictive or wanting vengeance.

vindicte

(legal) In many countries, a legal body and institution, usually part of the state apparatus, empowered to perform prosecution. Prosecutor's Office. See Prosecutor.

vinerie

A place where wine is made, or a company that makes wine.

vineux

Pertaining to or having the characteristics of wine.

vingt

The cardinal number 20, occurring after nineteen and before twenty-one.

vingt-et-un

(card games) A common gambling card game in casinos, where the object is to get as close to 21 without going over.

vingtaine

Twenty (20).

vingtième

The ordinal form of the number twenty.

vinyle

(music, countable) A phonograph record.

viol

Improper treatment or usage; application to a wrong or bad purpose; an unjust, corrupt or wrongful practice or custom. [from around 1350 to 1470]

violation

(legal) A breaking or infraction of a law, or of any obligation or tie; violation; non-fulfillment.

violemment

In a violent manner.

violent

Done by force, forced.

violer

(transitive) To have sex with.

violet

Of a violet colour.

Violette

A en given name.

violier

Any of the several species of cruciferous flowers in the genus Matthiola.

violon

(slang, with the definite article) Prison, jail, or lockup.

violon alto

A stringed instrument of the violin family, somewhat larger than a violin, played under the chin, and having a deeper tone.

violoncelle

A large unfretted stringed instrument of the violin family with four strings tuned (lowest to highest) C-G-D-A and an endpin to support its weight, usually played with a bow.

violoncelliste

Someone who plays the cello.

violoniste

A person who plays the violin.

vipère

A venomous snake in the family Viperidae.

virage

A curve.

virago

(pejorative) An ugly old woman.

vire

(geology) A shelf, ridge, or reef, of rocks.

virée

A pleasure trip; a journey made for feasting or enjoyment, now especially a trip made ostensibly for business but which entails merrymaking or entertainment.

virement

(in Europe, etc.) A transfer of funds between different account holders, carried out by the bank according to payer's written instructions.

virement lof pour lof

(nautical) The distance a sailing vessel runs between these maneuvers when working to windward; a board.

virer

(US, euphemistic, transitive) To fire or dismiss an employee.

virer de bord

(idiomatic) To make a complete reversal in stance or opinion.

virevoltant

Any plant which habitually breaks away from its roots once dry, forming a light, rolling mass which is driven by the wind from place to place; as Russian thistle, wild indigo, witch grass, Amaranthus albus, etc.

virevolter

To move quickly from one location to another.