French–English dictionary

boycotter

(transitive) To abstain, either as an individual or a group, from using, buying, or dealing with someone or some organization as an expression of protest.

bracelet

A band that supports a wristwatch.

bracelet de cheville

A piece of jewelry/jewellery, resembling a bracelet but worn around the ankle.

bracelet de natation

(swimming) One of a pair of inflatable plastic bands, normally worn on the upper arms, to help the wearer (often a child) float in water and learn to swim.

braconnage

Illegal procurement of protected wildlife such as fish, game, logging, or plant collecting.

braconner

(ambitransitive) To take game or fish illegally.

braconnier

A person who trespasses in order to take game illegally, one who poaches; a person who illegally takes animals or plants from the wild.

braconnière

A person who trespasses in order to take game illegally, one who poaches; a person who illegally takes animals or plants from the wild.

braderie

(retail) A sale of merchandise, especially at significantly reduced prices, usually in order to make room for new merchandise or updated versions of the same merchandise; sometimes as a closeout.

bradycardie

(medicine, cardiology) The condition of having a slow heartbeat, defined as under 60 beats per minute for an adult.

brag

(uncountable) Short for three card brag.

braguette

A part of male dress in the 15th and 16th centuries, worn in front of the breeches to cover the male genitals.

Brahmâ

(Hindu god) Hindu god (deva) of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva.

Brahman

(Hinduism) The unchanging, infinite, immanent, and transcendent reality which is the Divine Ground of all matter, energy, time, space, being, and everything beyond in this Universe. The nature of Brahman is described as transpersonal, personal and impersonal by different philosophical schools.

brahmane

A learned person of refined taste and mild manners.

brai

A dark, extremely viscous material still remaining after distilling crude oil and tar.

braillard

One who screams; one who shouts; one who sings harshly.

braillarde

One who screams; one who shouts; one who sings harshly.

braille

A system of writing in which letters and some combinations of letters are represented by raised dots arranged in three or four rows of two dots each and are read by the blind and partially sighted using the fingertips.

brailler

To make a loud sound, especially like a trumpet.

brailleur

One who screams; one who shouts; one who sings harshly.

brailleuse

One who screams; one who shouts; one who sings harshly.

braiment

The cry of an animal, now chiefly that of animals related to the ass or donkey, or the camel.

brainstorming

A method of problem solving in which members of a group contribute ideas spontaneously.

braire

(intransitive) Of an animal (now chiefly of animals related to the ass or donkey, and the camel): to make its cry.

braise

A piece of coal or wood glowing by heat; a hot coal.

braiser

(cooking) To cook in a small amount of liquid, in a covered pan, somewhere between steaming and boiling.

brancard

(US) A stretcher having wheeled legs.

brancarder

(transitive) To carry (an injured person) on a stretcher.

brancardier

A person trained to medically stabilize people through various interventions for victims of trauma or medical events outside of a hospital setting and prepare them for transport to a medical facility.

brancardière

A person trained to medically stabilize people through various interventions for victims of trauma or medical events outside of a hospital setting and prepare them for transport to a medical facility.

branche

A tree-branch, usually a primary one directly attached to the trunk.

branchement conditionnel

(computing) A sequence of code that is conditionally executed.

brancher

(intransitive, computing) To jump to a different location in a program, especially as the result of a conditional statement.

branchette

(metalworking, countable) A side channel or branch of the runner of a flask, made to distribute the metal to all parts of the mold.

branchie

(zootomy) A breathing organ of fish and other aquatic animals.

brande

Open land that has an acidic peaty soil and is mostly covered with heather or bracken.

brandebourg

An ornate fastener for clothing consisting of an oblong button, toggle, or knot, that fits through a loop.

brandir

(transitive) To move or swing a weapon back and forth, particularly if demonstrating anger, threat or skill.

Brandon

A en given name.

brandy

(uncountable) An alcoholic liquor distilled from wine or fermented fruit juice.

branlant

Of an object: not strong or sturdy, as because of poor construction or upkeep; not safe or secure.

branle-bas

A clamour, a commotion; a fuss or uproar. [from 17th c.]

branlebas

(countable, uncountable) An excited activity; a stir.

branlée

A severe beating.

branler

(vulgar, slang, ambitransitive) To masturbate by flicking the clitoris with one's finger or fingers.

branque

(chiefly, Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, informal) Foolish, silly, stupid.

branquignol

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

braquage

(legal) A theft where the thieves are armed with weapons.

braque

A dog, particularly a breed with a good sense of smell developed for hunting other animals.

braqueur

(informal) A thief or robber, one who blags.

bras

(sometimes, figurative) A branch; a fork.

bras de mer

(geography) A long narrow inlet, or a strait between the mainland and an island; also, a strait connecting two seas, or connecting a sea or lake with the ocean.

bras de rivière

A body of water let into a coast, such as a bay, cove, fjord or estuary.

bras roulé

(basketball) a basketball shot in which the offensive player, usually turned perpendicular to the basket, gently throws the ball with a sweeping motion of his arm in an upward arc with a follow-through which ends over his head. Also called hook shot.

braser

To join two metal pieces, without melting them, using heat and diffusion of a jointing alloy of capillary thickness.

brasier

An upright standing or hanging metal bowl used for holding burning coal for a source of light or heat.

brassage

The production of alcoholic beverages, such as beer, by fermentation; the process of being brewed.

brassard

(sports) A band worn around the arm of the captain of a team.

brasse

A swimming stroke in which the swimmer lies face down, the arms being swept forward, outward and back under the water and the legs are kicked like a frog's

brasser

(nautical) To swing round the yards of a square rigged ship, using braces, to present a more efficient sail surface to the direction of the wind.

brasseur

Someone who brews, or whose occupation is to prepare malt liquors.

brasseuse

Someone who brews, or whose occupation is to prepare malt liquors.

brassière

An item of clothing, usually underwear worn to support the breasts. [from 1920s]

brassin

(uncountable) A mass of mixed ingredients reduced to a soft pulpy state by beating or pressure; a mass of anything in a soft pulpy state.

brassique

Of or relating to brassicas.

Bratislava

The region of Slovakia that includes the city of Bratislava.

bravache

Someone who constantly brags or boasts. [from late 16th c.]

bravade

A swaggering show of defiance or courage.

brave

Without fear.

bravement

In a brave manner.

bravo

(idiomatic, colloquial) Used to show encouragement or approval to a boy, man, or male animal.

bravoure

The quality of being confident, not afraid or easily intimidated, but without being incautious or inconsiderate.

brebis

A female sheep, as opposed to a ram.

brebis galeuse

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

brèche

A gap or opening made by breaking or battering, as in a wall, fortification or levee / embankment; the space between the parts of a solid body rent by violence.

bref

Of short duration; happening quickly. [from 15th c.]

Brejnev

A transliteration of the Ukrainian surname Бре́жнєв (Bréžnjev)

brelan

(countable) Three of the same cards held in one hand; three of a kind.

breloque

A small trinket on a bracelet or chain, etc., traditionally supposed to confer luck upon the wearer.

brème

(British) A species in that genus, Abramis brama.

brème commune

(British) A species in that genus, Abramis brama.

Brendan

A en given name.

Brésil

A large Portuguese-speaking country in South America. Official name: Federative Republic of Brazil. Capital: Brasília.

brésilien

Of, from, or pertaining to Brazil, or the Brazilian people.

Brésilienne

A person from Brazil or of Brazilian descent.

Brest

A port city in Brittany, France.

Bretagne

An administrative region of northwest France, including most of the historic region of Brittany. [from 20th c.]

bretelles

A piece of material used to transmit, or change the direction of, weight or pressure; any one of the pieces, in a frame or truss, which divide the structure into triangular parts. It may act as a tie, or as a strut, and serves to prevent distortion of the structure, and transverse strains in its members. A boiler brace is a diagonal stay, connecting the head with the shell.

breton

Of, from or relating to the region of Brittany, France.

Bretonne

(countable) A native or inhabitant of the region of Brittany, France.

bretteur

A swordsman or fencer who engages in showy or extravagant swordplay.

bretzel

(culinary) A toasted bread or cracker usually in the shape of a loose knot.

breuvage

A liquid to consume; a drink, such as tea, coffee, liquor, beer, milk, juice, or a soft drink, usually excluding water.

brevet

A declaration issued by a government agency that the inventor of a new invention has the sole privilege of making, selling, or using the claimed invention for a specified period.

breveter

To (successfully) register (a new invention) with a government agency to obtain the sole privilege of its manufacture, sale, and use for a specified period.

Brexit

(UK politics) Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union.

bribe

A (small) piece; a fragment; a detached, incomplete portion.

bric-à-brac

Small ornaments and other miscellaneous display items of little value.

bricole

Of little weight or importance; not worth notice; slight; trivial.

bricoler

To put together (something) without adequate preparation or equipment; to improvise (something) minimally usable.

bricoleur

(informal) A person who does small tasks and odd jobs, especially building repairs and the like.

bride

(equestrian) The headgear with which a horse is directed and which carries a bit and reins.

brider

(transitive) To put a bridle on.

bridge

(dentistry) A prosthesis replacing one or several adjacent teeth.

brie

An originally French variety of soft cheese made from cow's milk.

briefing

A meeting to share a concise summary of a current situation, especially in close preparation for an operation or undertaking.

brièvement

(manner) In a brief manner, summarily.

brièveté

(uncountable) The quality of being brief in duration.

brigadier

(military) An army rank; an officer commanding a brigade.

brigadière

(military) An army rank; an officer commanding a brigade.

brigand

(crime) An outlaw or bandit.

brigandage

The act or practice of robbing.

brigantin

(watercraft) A two-masted vessel, square-rigged on both foremast and mainmast

Brigitte

A en given name.

brillamment

In an amazing manner; in a way that causes amazement; wonderfully.

brillance

(figurative) Of colour, light, or some other quality: dazzling, often garish, brilliance.

brillant

Emitting much light; visually dazzling; luminous, lucent, radiant.

briller

(ambitransitive) To emit beams of light; to shine; to radiate.

brimé

(figuratively) Oppressed, persecuted or subjugated.

brimeur

A person who is intentionally physically or emotionally cruel to others, especially to those whom they perceive as being vulnerable or of less power or privilege. [from late 17th c.]

brin

(figuratively) A small or trace amount.

brindille

A small thin branch of a tree or bush.

brindilles

Branches and twigs fallen from trees and shrubs.

bringuebale

(chiefly, _, nautical) The handle of a pump.

brioche

(countable, and, uncountable) A type of light sweet pastry or bun of French origin.

brione

A perennial herb of the genus Bryonia, especially the common wild species Bryonia dioica.

brique

(literally) A component that is part of a larger construction, such as a brick or a stone.

briquet

A small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares. Its friendly disposition makes it suitable as a family pet.

brisant

(chiefly, in the plural) A wave breaking into foam against the shore, or against a sandbank, or a rock or reef near the surface, considered a useful warning to ships of an underwater hazard

brisants

Waves that break on an ocean shoreline.

Brisbane

A large city, the capital city of Queensland, Australia.

brise

A light, gentle wind.

brise-glace

(watercraft) A ship designed to break through ice so that it, or other ships coming behind, can navigate on frozen seas.

brise-lames

A construction in or around a harbour designed to break the force of the sea and to provide shelter for vessels lying inside.

briser

(transitive) To cause (a person or animal) to lose spirit or will; to crush the spirits of.

briseur de grève

A non-unionized worker hired to replace a striking union worker.

brisoir

(textiles) A tool used for breaking flax or hemp. [from 15th c.]

Bristol

A city, ceremonial county, and unitary authority in southwest England bordering Gloucestershire, Somerset and The River Severn.

brisure

A small piece broken from a larger piece of solid material.

britannique

(historical) Of the ancient inhabitants of the southern part of Britain; Brythonic.

broc

A kind of widemouthed pitcher or jug with a shape like a vase and a handle. Originally used for carrying water

broche

A piece of ornamental jewellery having a pin allowing it to be fixed to garments worn on the upper body.

broche à foin

Roughly-made, unsophisticated, decrepit (from the use of haywire for temporary repairs).

brocher

To decorate fabric with raised woven patterns.

brochet

A species of pike, Esox lucius.

brocheuse

A device which binds together sheets of paper by driving a thin metal staple through the sheets and simultaneously folding over the ends of the staple against the back surface of the paper.

brochure

A small or thin book.

brocoli

A plant, Brassica oleracea var. italica, of the cabbage family, Brassicaceae; especially, the tree-shaped flower and stalk that are eaten as a vegetable.

brodé

Decorated with embroidery; covered in decorative needlework.