French–English dictionary

bercer

(transitive) To rock (a baby to sleep).

berceuse

(music) A composition that resembles a lullaby, often in 6/8 time.

Bérénice

A en given name, notably of ancient queens of Egypt.

béret

(headwear) A type of round, brimless cap with a soft top and a headband to secure it to the head; usually culturally associated with France.

berge

(hydrology) An edge of river, lake, or other watercourse.

Bergen

A city and hamlet in North Dakota.

Berger

A surname.

bergère

(countable) A person who tends sheep, especially a grazing flock.

bergerie

A pen or enclosure for sheep or other domestic animals.

Bergue

A city and hamlet in North Dakota.

beriani

A spiced dish of rice, blended with meat and/or vegetables.

Berkeley

A city in Alameda County, California.

berline

An enclosed windowed chair suitable for a single occupant, carried by at least two porters, in equal numbers in front and behind, using wooden rails that passed through metal brackets on the sides of the chair.

Berlinois

A native or inhabitant of Berlin.

Berlinoise

A native or inhabitant of Berlin.

berloqe

(attributive) A common noun relating to an instrument that measures or keeps track of time.

bermudais

Of, from, or pertaining to Bermuda, or the Bermudian people.

Bermudes

An archipelago and overseas territory of the United Kingdom in the North Atlantic Ocean, 580 nautical miles (1074 kilometers) east-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

bermudien

Of, from, or pertaining to Bermuda, or the Bermudian people.

Bermudienne

A person from Bermuda or of Bermudian descent

bermudois

Of, from, or pertaining to Bermuda, or the Bermudian people.

bernache néné

The Hawaiian goose, Branta sandvicensis, which was designated the state bird of Hawaii in 1957.

Bernadette

A en given name.

bernarche

(North American) Any of several wild geese, of the genus Branta, that breed in the Arctic, but especially the brent goose, Branta bernicla.

Bernard

A en given name.

berner

(transitive) To deceive (someone) by making them believe something that has been maliciously or mischievously fabricated.

bernique

Any of various gastropods with a conical shell shape patelliform and a strong, muscular foot that they use to create strong suction to cling onto rocks or other hard surfaces.

Bernstein

A surname from German or Yiddish.

bers

A framework of timbers, or iron bars, moving upon ways or rollers, used to support, lift, or carry ships or other vessels, heavy guns, etc., as up an inclined plane, or across a strip of land, or in launching a ship.

berserk

(historical) Synonym of berserker (“a Norse warrior who fought in a frenzy”).

berserker

(historical) A Norse warrior who purportedly fought in a trance-like frenzy; a berserk.

Berthe

A en given name.

Bertrand

A en given name.

béryl

(uncountable, mineral) A mineral of pegmatite deposits, often used as a gemstone (molecular formula Be3Al2Si6O18).

béryllium

(uncountable) The chemical element (symbol Be) with an atomic number of 4; a soft silvery-white low density alkaline earth metal with specialist industrial applications.

Bès

(Egyptian god) An ancient Egyptian god, the protector of households and mothers, children and childbirth.

besace

A small bag usually closed with a drawstring.

besant

(heraldiccharge) A circular spot; a charge in the form of a small coloured circle.

bésicles

(dated) A pair of lenses set in a frame worn on the nose and ears in order to correct deficiencies in eyesight or to ornament the face.

besogne

That which requires hard work for its accomplishment; that which demands effort.

besoin

The quality or state of being necessary, unavoidable, or absolutely requisite.

best-seller

A book or other product that has sold in large numbers.

bestiole

(informal, now, chiefly, _, Scotland, Northern England) Beast, animal.

bestseller

A book or other product that has sold in large numbers.

bêta

(of a person, object or action) Associated with the beta male/female archetype.

bétail

Certain other livestock, such as sheep, pigs or goats. Also rarely applied to horses.

Bête

(biblical) A figure in the Book of Revelation (Apocalypse), often identified with Satan or the Antichrist.

bête noire

Someone or something that is unbearable and so particularly avoided or disliked; the bane of someone's existence; an object of aversion; an anathema.

bête sauvage

(often, _, collective) All non-human animals seen as a group.

bêtement

In a stupid manner.

Bethesda

(biblical) A pool in Jerusalem mentioned in the New Testament.

bêtise

(countable) A thing or event that is foolish, or an absurdity.

bêtises

Senseless talk or writing; nonsense.

bêtisier

(film, informal) A filmed or videotaped outtake that has recorded an amusing accident or mistake.

béton

(not comparable) Made of concrete (building material).

bétonner

(usually, transitive) To cover with or encase in concrete (building material).

bette

Beta vulgaris, a plant with a swollen root which is eaten or used to make sugar.

betterave

Beta vulgaris, a plant with a swollen root which is eaten or used to make sugar.

beu

(usually uncountable, slang) Potent cannabis taken from the flowering part of the plant (the "bud"), or marijuana generally.

beuglement

A loud sound.

beugler

To shout in a deep voice.

beuh

(uncountable, slang) Marijuana.

beurk

(archaic) Sometimes followed by on or upon: used to express distaste, disgust, or outrage.

beurré

(informal) Drunk.

beurrer

(transitive) To spread butter on.

beurrer la raie

(transitive) To pester; to annoy persistently; to press.

beuverie

(slang) A bout of heavy drinking.

bévue

A foolish and embarrassing error, especially one made in public; a social blunder; a breach of etiquette.

bey

(historical) A governor of a province or district in the Turkish (e.g. Ottoman) dominions.

Beyrouth

The capital and largest city of Lebanon.

bézoard

A mass, usually of hair or undigested vegetable matter, found in a human or animal's intestines, similar to a hairball.

Bhoutan

A country in South Asia, in the Himalayas. Official name: Kingdom of Bhutan. Capital: Thimphu.

bi

(LGBTQ, slang) Bisexual.

bi-

Every two; a rate of once every two.

biais

(statistics) The difference between the expectation of the sample estimator and the true population value, which reduces the representativeness of the estimator by systematically distorting it.

biaiser

(transitive) To bias or distort in a particular direction.

Bianca

A en given name.

Bianka

A en given name.

Biarritz

A coastal city in Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France.

biathlon

(winter sports, uncountable) Racing combining cross-country skiing and rifle shooting; (countable) a particular instance of such a race.

bibelot

A showy trifle, a toy; a showy trinket, ornament or decoration. [from 15th c.]

biberonner

(transitive, British) To feed (an infant) baby formula.

bibi

A fool or idiot (especially as an ironic way of referring to oneself) .

bibine

(colloquial, uncountable) Any alcoholic beverage (especially beer or hard liquor).

Bible

The Jewish holy book that was largely incorporated into the Christian Bible.

bibliographie

The study of the history of books in terms of their classification, printing and publication.

bibliophage

(figurative) An avid book reader.

bibliophile

One who loves books.

bibliothécaire

A person who processes and organizes information.

bibliothèque

A piece of furniture for the storage and display of books.

biceps

(anatomy) Any muscle having two heads.

biche

A female deer; also used of similar animals such as antelope (less commonly a goat, as nanny is also used).

bichon maltais

(plural "Malteses") A small breed of dog with a long silky coat.

bichonner

To attend to one's appearance and clothing.

bicipital

Of or pertaining to a biceps.

bicuspide

A tooth with two cusps; a premolar tooth.

bicyclette de course

A vehicle or other device used for, or designed specifically for, racing.

bidasse

(US, military slang) An infantry soldier.

bide

(slang) A failed enterprise; a bomb.

Biden

A surname.

bidet

A low-mounted plumbing fixture or type of sink intended for washing the external genitalia and the anus.

bidoche

A large, protruding, or swollen abdomen; a paunch. [from 18th c.]

bidon

A bottle or flask for holding a beverage such as water or wine; (specifically, sports) a water bottle which can be squeezed to squirt the beverage out of the nozzle, especially (cycling) one designed for mounting on a bicycle.

bidonville

An area containing a collection of shacks, shanties or makeshift dwellings.

bidouillage

An action, job, or task that has been performed very badly; a ruined, defective, or clumsy piece of work.

bidouiller

(intransitive) To fidget or play; to fuss; to idly amuse oneself, to act aimlessly, idly, or frivolously, particularly out of nervousness or restlessness; see also fiddle with.

bidule

A machine that is complicated and precarious.

bief

A fast-running water-filled channel diverted from a river or stream used to drive the millwheel in a watermill.

Biélorussie

A country in Eastern Europe. Official name: Republic of Belarus. Capital and largest city: Minsk.

bien

All right, acceptable, permitted.

bien aimer

(obsolete) To have an appearance or expression; to look; to seem to be (in a specified condition).

bien connu

Familiar, famous, renowned, noted or widely known.

bien de consommation courante

(marketing) Undifferentiated goods characterized by a low profit margin and (usually) fungibility, as distinguished from branded products not wholly fungible.

bien différent

Other than supposed; different.

bien en chair

(of a woman) Having a full, voluptuous figure, especially possessing large breasts.

bien habillé

(slang) Well dressed, smart in appearance; in style, cool.

bien immobilier

(US, Canada, Australia) Property that cannot easily be moved, usually buildings and the ground on which they are built.

bien joué

(idiomatic) Well done; congratulations!

bien membré

(colloquial, of a person, slightly, _, vulgar) Having a large penis (often well hung).

bien monté

(colloquial, of a person, slightly, _, vulgar) Having a large penis (often well hung).

bien que

Although, despite (it) being.

bien reçu

(radio, _, telecommunications, procedure word) Received (used in radio communications to acknowledge that a message has been received and understood)

bien roulé

(of a, woman) Having shapely and voluptuous curves; curvy.

bien sûr

An emphatic affirmative answer; of course.

bien trop

To an excessive degree.

bien-aimé

Much loved, dearly loved.

bien-être

(uncountable) Health, safety, happiness and prosperity; well-being in any respect.

bien-pensant

Piously self-assured and smugly moralistic.

bienfaisante

Helpful or good to something or someone.

bienfaiteur

Somebody who gives a gift, often money to a charity.

bienfaitrice

Somebody who gives a gift, often money to a charity.

bienheureuse

Having a feeling arising from a consciousness of well-being or of enjoyment; enjoying good of any kind, such as comfort, peace, or tranquillity; blissful, contented, joyous.

bienheureusement

In a blissful, happy or joyful manner.

bienheureux

Having divine aid, or protection, or other blessing.

bienheureux celui qui ne connaît pas la vérité

A lack of knowledge or awareness about certain facts or situations results in happiness or reduced anxiety.

biennal

Happening every two years.

biens

(legal) The nature and extent of a person's interest in, or ownership of, land. [from 15th c.]

bienséance

(often, in the plural) Correctness in behaviour and morals; good manners, seemliness. [from 18th c.]

bienséant

Marked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards; becoming, seemly.

bientôt

(now, archaic) Soon after, presently. [from 13th c.]

bienveillance

(uncountable) Disposition to do good.

bienveillant

willing to acquiesce, accept or agree to something without objection, protest or resistance

bienvenu

Whose arrival is a cause of joy; received with gladness; admitted willingly to the house, entertainment, or company.

bienvenue

Whose arrival is a cause of joy; received with gladness; admitted willingly to the house, entertainment, or company.

bière

(uncountable) An alcoholic drink fermented from starch material, commonly barley malt; often with hops or some other substance (like gruit) to impart a bitter flavor.

bière à la pression

Liquid, especially beer or other alcohol, drawn from a cask or keg rather than a bottle or can.

bière anglaise

A beer produced by so-called warm fermentation and not pressurized.

bièvre

A species of beaver, Castor fiber, native to Eurasia.

biffer

(idiomatic, transitive) To strike out (something); to draw a line through (something).

biffle

(slang, vulgar, uncommon) The act of slapping someone with one's penis, particularly in the face.