French Prose

biting, scathing, piercing, intensity

(le) mordant

to bite

mordre

casual, nonchalant

désinvolte

to reward

récompenser (qqn de/pour)

to propel

propulser

timid, shy / savage, wild / coy

farouche

soft, tender, loving

tendre

to stretch, extend, to hand (sb sth), to tend towards, to set (trap)

tendre (à/vers)

to be drawn tight, become strained

se tendre

terrible, horrendous, appalling, terrible, dreadful

épouvantable

boarding school

la pension

extra / appearance / portrayal

la figuration

to dazzle, blind, awe

éblouir

to flee, run away (x2)

s’enfuir, se sauver

to touch, move (emotional)

attendrir

influence, control, hold

l’emprise (f)

cicada / spendthrift

la cigale

thirsty

assoiffé (de)

sudden, unexpected

subit

temporary, provisional

provisoire

to take shape, to loom, be in sight

se profiler

to gather, pluck, pick

cueillir

felt

le feutre

muted, hushed

feutré

to dissect, break down

disséquer

darkness, dark nature, blackness / bruise

la noirceur

unharmed, unscathed / absolved, exonerated

indemne

headland, point

le promontoire

to bury

enfouir, enterrer, ensevelir

to burrow

s’enfouir

to bury (person)

enterrer, inhumer

sailing boat

le bateau à voile

ugliness

la laideur

unavowed

inavoué

drunk

ivre, saoul

off beat / hitch, setback, mishap

le contretemps

thigh

la cuisse

temporary, brief, passing

passager (ère in feminine)

exhausted

éreinté

stunning, lightning, brutal

foudroyant

to strike (lightning), devastate

foudroyer

calculated

calculateur

to bring, take, cause, lead,

amener

to obsess / exasperate, vex (literary)

obséder

remorse

le remords

goat, goats cheese

le chèvre

without, devoid of

dénué de

to deprive

priver, dénuer (literary)

to rock (boat), to capsize

chavirer

to traverse, roam / go,fly,sail to and fro / to criss-cross

silloner

wing of insect

élytre

to cut out (w scissors)

détourer

to divert, hijack, embezzle, distort

détourner

to roll up, hitch up / draw back (lips often)

retrousser

weariness, tiredness

la lassitude

ill will, malice, spite

la méchanceté

jowl (person)

la bajoue

jowl (animal)

la babine

knock

un coup

forceful

avec violence

front door

porte d’entrée

broom

le balai

mop

la serpillière

hairdryer

le sèche-cheveux

fingertip

le bout des doigts

effective AND efficient

efficace

resourceful

avoir de la ressouce / débrouillard, dégourdi

Insults for someone who behaves badly

crétin, imbécile, abruti, demeuré

badger

le blaireau

idiot (not intelligent)

un sot, idiot, âne

cardboard

le carton

cardboard box

le carton

backpack

le sac à dos

enlargement

l’aggrandissement

a thousand

un millier

lustre

l’orient (m)

whim

le caprice

threshold

le seuil

wide open, gaping

béant

walnut

le noyer

from another age/time

des premiers âges

firefly

le ver luisant, la luciole