in the sensé of ' according

Vocabulary

to régulation,' i.e. 'fit and proper, ' ' just as it should be ' reins : le rei?i is ' a kidney ' ; in

the plural, 'loins,' ' back ' relancer, ' to rouse,' 'hunt out,' ' snub' ; also ' to cast out again,' or ' drive out once more ' religion (en) : a person is said to be en religion when he has taken religious vovvs, and belongs to some confraternity remis, 'delivered,' ' paid, ' from remettre, 'to put back or down,' 'remit,' 'delay,' ' entrust,' etc.

est-ce que vous ne me re»;ettez pas?

' do you not remember me ? ' remettre de jour en jour, 'to procrastinate

rente (la) means an ' income ' ; also ' rent,' 'annuity,' 'stocks,' ' pension ' la — à cinq pour cent, ' the five per

cent government annuity ' le taux de la — , ' the price of stocks ' la — hausse ou baisse, ' the funds rise or fall ' rentrer dans le civil : to leave the army and enter again into civil life repasser, ' to repass,' ' cross again,' etc. ; also ' to rehearse,' ' go over, ' ' repeat '

— des couteaux, ' to grind knives '

— du linge, ' to iron linen ' retard, (le), ' delay'

en — , ' in arrears ' retenir (se), ' to contain one's self,' 'refrain,' 'cling,' ' hold ' or ' hold on, ' etc.

il s'est retenu aux branches, 'he

clung to the branches ' ces vers se retiennent facilement, ' those lines are easily remembered ' retourné (roi), ' the king of trumps ' la retourne, ' trump-card ' qu'est-ce qui retourne? 'what are trumps? ' retraite (mettre à la), ' to pension off , ' ' put on the retired list ' Pension de — , ' retiring pension ' rêve (faire \xw\, ' to hâve a dream ' ;

also fig. ' to enjoy a brief evan-

escent happiness '

revenant (un), 'a ghost '

revenir, ' to get over,' ' shake

off,' 'renounce a misconception'

je n'en reviens pas, ' I cannot get

over my surprise ' Distinguish between revenir, ' to corne back to the place from which one started,'e.g. revenir dans sa patrie ; and retourner, ' to go back to the place to which one had already been,' e.g. retourner dans son exil revenu (le), 'income,' 'revenue'

— j casuels, ' perquisites '

revue (passer en), ' to review,' ' inspect ' nous sommes gens de — , ' we shall meet again ' rez-de-chaussée (le), ' groundfloor ' ; pi. des rez-de-chaussée.

Rez (another form of ras, Lat.

rasus) means ' on a level with ' ribambelle (une), ' a host,' 'string,' as une — d'enfants, îine — d'injures ribote (être en) : a popular term, meaning ' to be tipsy,' ' intoxicated ' faire — , ' to hâve a drunken bout ' ;

ribote is féminine riboter is ' to get tipsy ' un riboteur, ' a drunkard '

riflard (le), 'a rough plane,'

' chisel ' ; on p. 14 1. 2 a popular

term for an old umbrella. The

name is due to the success of a

play called La petite ville, which

appeared in 1801, and in which

one of the actors, called Riflard,

cornes on the stage armed

with an enormous umbrella.

Un pépin is also used in the

same sensé

rigolade (la) : a popular word

meaning ' amusement '

rigoler, and the noun rigoleur, are

also used popularly in the sensé of

'to amuse one's self,' 'one who

amuses himself '

rogner, 'eut,' 'clip,' 'prune';

also fig. ' to eut off,' ' eut short,' ' curtail ' roide, old spelling of raide, ' stiff,' 1 steep '

être tué raide, ' to be killed instan-

taneously ' tomber raide mort, ' to fall stone-dead ' ronger, ' to gnaw,' « to spoil ' ; of

a horse, ' to champ' (the bit) rouillé, ' rusty ' ; of lookingglasses, ' frosty ' ; of plants, ' blighted ' la rouille, ' rust,' 'frostiness,' 'blight' rousse, niasc. roux, implies a red colour with a slight tinge of black in it. Fiery-red hair is sometimes called rouge, but the word roux is more commonly used rousse (la) : a slang- word = the

police, the ' peelers ' route (en), used as a command, means ' let us be off, ' ' let us

go' ruisseau (le), 'stream,' 'rivulet,' ' gutter ' verser des — x de larmes, ' to shed floods of tears '

sabler, ' to sand ' or ' gravel,' and used fig. ' to drink off,' ' tip off' sabot (le) is used popularly of a quick but slovenly worker, a ' bungler ' or ' botcher. ' Usual meaning of sabot is ' a wooden shoe,' then 'hoof,' 'socket,' ' fiddle ' dormir comme un — , ' to sleep like

a top* — s sans faille : it is usual to line wooden shoes with straw to keep them from chafing the feet sabre (le), 'sabre,' or ' broadsword. ' This is a heavy sword with only one sharp edge, and with its greatest thickness at the back of the blade sac à bière (le) : an habituai tippler or drunkard. Sac à vin is used in the same sensé

le sac means ' bag,' ' knapsack,' ' sack' le sac de nuit, ' carpet-bag ' un cul-de-sac, ' blind alley ' sainte - nitouche (avec son air de), ' with his sanctimonious air,' ' looking as if butter would not melt in his mouth. ' The expression is sometimes, and more correctly, written sainte n'y touche sale, 'dirty,' 'foui,' 'dull'

gris — , ' dull grey ' salle de police (la) : a room in which soldiers are kept whilst in détention for small offences against discipline, ' a guardroom ' la salle à manger, ' dining-room ' la salle d'armes, ' fencing-room,' ' fencing-school' sandwich (le) lias been borrowed from English. Cf. lunch.

When a foreign word lias become thoroughly naturalised in French it usually takes s in the plural, whatever its origin ; but there are some exceptions sangr (se faire du mauvais), ' to be

vexed,' ' to fret ' sauter, ' to leap,' 'jump,' ' explode,' etc.

— au cou de quelqu'un, * to fall on

a person's neck ' vous me feriez — au plancher, ' you

would drive me mad ' se faire — la cervelle, ' to blow one's brains out ' sautiller : a fréquentative of sauter, ' to skip ' or ' hop about ' ne faire que — , ' to go from one thing to another ' sébile (une), ' a wooden bowl ' sec, fem. sèche, ' dry, ' ' hard ' ; when applied to sounds means ' short and sharp ' à pied — , 'dry-shod ' un homme — , ' a bony, lean man ' un coup — , ' a smart blow ' donner un coup — is a term used in billiards to express a sharp stroke given to the hall, after which the eue is smartly withdrawn, instead of being allowed to follow up the bail

Vocabulary

semaine (la), ' a week,' ' a week's work, ' and then ' a week's wages ' la — des quatre jeudis, i.e. ' never ' eu — , ' on week-days ' sentez (vous), ' you understand ' sergent (le), 'a sergeant,' a noncommissioned officer of infantry of the grade next above corporal.

Every company has four sergeants, of whom the senior is the colour-sergeant

le niajor is the highest non-com-

missioned officer in a régiment, and acts as assistant to the adjutant un — de ville, a policeman wearing a sword, also called gardien de la paix sergent-fourrier (le), ' quarter-

mas ter- sergeant '

serre-file (un) : a sergeant who

marches in the rear of a

' peloton ' (half - company) to

maintain the line or file

service (le) means ' service,'

' attendance,' ' use,' ' good

office,' ' divine service,' etc.

In the plural, as on p. 23 1. 2,

it often means ' military service '

qu'y a-t-il pour votre — ? ' what are

your commands ? ' être de — , ' to be on duty ' repas à trois — s, ' meal with three courses ' servir (pour vous) : a common expression of politeness used in giving an affirmative answer, and équivalent to ' at your service ' sevrer (se), ' to deprive one's

self of, ' ' abstain from ' sexe (le), ' sex ' le beau — , or absolutely, le — , ' the fair sex ' sobriquet (le), ' nickname ' solide, ' solid,' ' substantial,' ' firm ' ; also used as a noun for 'reality,' 'main chance' somme (la) (Lat. summa), ' sum,' ' amount,' ' summary ' en — , 'upon the whole,' ' in the main ' — toute, ' to conclude,' ' finally ' This word must not be confounded

with le somme (Lat. somnus), ' a nap,' 'slumber' dormir son — , ' to sleep soundly ' sort (le), 'fate,' 'lot,' 'condition' tirer au — is ' to draw lots,' ' to draw

lots for the army ' le — also means ' a spell,' ' charm' soucoupe (la), ' saucer,' or 'salver,' on which to stand glasses or botdes soudard (le), 'a vétéran,' ' warworn soldier. ' A term often used in contempt souffleter, ' to slap the face,' 'box the ears,' is also used metaphorically of the wind, ' to buffet ' soûl (j'en ai eu tout mon), ' I hâve had my full share of it,' ' my fill' il a dormi tout son — , ' he has slept

to his heart's content ' soûl is also used adjectivall}', but is not very common. It means ' satiated,' 'glutted,' hence 'drunk' soulier (le) is used in a collective sensé, meaning ' a pair of shoes ' soupe (la), 'soup,' 'sop,' 'toast,' is also used by extension for ' a meal,' ' dinner ' une — grasse, ' méat soup ' une — maigre, ' vegetable soup ' soupente (la), 'garret,' 'attic' sourd, 'deaf,' 'hollow,' 'secret,' ' underhand ' une voix — e, ' a hollow or dull voice ' — comme un pot, ' as deaf as a post' faire la — e oreille, ' to turn a deaf

ear' sourd is also used as a noun, ' a deaf man' spadassin (le), 'a bravo,' 'bully,'

' hired assassin ' suite (la), 'train,' 'sequel,' 'séries,' ' set,' 'conséquence ' or ' resuit,' etc.

de — , 'one after another,' ' without

interruption ' tout de — , ' immediately ' par — , ' consequently ' par la — , ' in course of time '

sujet (le) : usual meaning, ' subject '

un bon —, ' a good, well - behaved

fellow ' f>ij>es à — .s-, ' painted pipes '

sur: lit. 'on'; also 'against' surveillance (en), ' under supervision of the police ' syncope (avoir une), ' to bave a fainting fit '

tableau (le), 'a painting,' ' picture,' 'list,' 'table,' ' blackboard,' etc. ; also 'a table' (of weights and measures) le — noir, ' the blackboard ' tabouret (le), ' a stool' taille (la), ' edge,' ' cutting,' 'stature,' ' shape,' 'waist' se tenant par la — , 'with their arms about each other's waists,' ' holding each other round the waist '

talus (le), ' embankment '

temps (le), ' time' dans les premiers — , ' at first ' passer le — , ' to while away the time ' par le — qui court, ' as times go ' il fait beau — , ' the weather is fine ' le — se met au beau, ' fine weather is

setting in ' gros — , ' foui weather '

ténébreux, ' obscure,' ' doubtful ' ténèbres, f. pi., means ' darkness,' ' gloom,' ' obscurity '

tenez, used as an exclamation,

' see hère ! ' ' look ! ' It also

means ' hère you are ! ' ' take

this ! '

tenir, ' to hold '

— lieu de is ' to stand instead of,'

'supply the place of ' tinrent lieit de preuve, ' served as proofs of his guilt ' terrer (se), ' to go to ground,' ' run to earth,' is usually used of animais ; also ' to hide ' tête (une), ' head ' pavées en — s de chat, paved with cobbles or cobble-stones, rounded by the action of water, and beanng a fancied resemblance to cats" heads timbre (le), 'bell,' 'sound,' 'air,' 'stamp,' 'post-mark,' etc.

timbre is a bell without a clapper,

struck by means of a liammer or métal knob le bureau de — , ' stamp-office ' il a le — fêlé, ' he is crack-brained ' tintouin (le), lit. 'a ringing,' ' tingling. ' Used figuratively it means ' anxiety ' un — de tous les diables, transi. ' a most awful anxiety ' tirailleur (le), ' skirmisher,' ' sharp - shooter. ' The word was first applied in 1792 to French light-armed troops, who were thrown out from the main body to bring on an action, cover an attack, or, in gênerai, harass {tirailler) and deceive the enemy toile (la), 'cloth,' 'linen,' 'curtain' (théâtre), ' net,' ' painting,' ' sail ' la — cirée, ' oil-cloth ' which is waterproof tomber, ' to fall,' ' degenerate, ' ' decay,' etc.

— amoureux de, ' to fall in love with '

la nuit tombe, ' night is coming on ' In — bien and — >nal, tomber is used for arriver, ' to happen,' ' to fall out' ça tombait mal, ' it happened at an

awkward time ' tomber is used actively in wrestlers* jargon for to overthrow or floor one's adversary ' In ail other cases it is used as a neuter verb, except in popular or slang expressions borrowed from the wrestling term torse (le), ' trunk,' ' chest ' toucher, ' to touch,' etc. ; when referring to money means ' to recei ve. ' As a neuter verb toucher à is ' to corne into contact with ' toujours, ' always,' ' ever,' ' still,' ' at least,' ' nevertheless '

— est-il que, 'it is, however, true that,' ' be that as it may '

tour (le), 'a turn,' 'révolution,' 'tour,' 'game,' 'circuit,' 'trick'

à son — , ' in his turn ' jouer un — , ' to play a trick '

— à — , ' by turns,' ' alternately '

Vocabulary

faire un — de ville, ' to take a walk

in t«j\vn ' tour, ' a tower,' ' castle ' (at chess), is féminine tout au plus, ' at most,' ' at the

outside ' traduisait (qui se), "' which interpreted itself,' i.e. ' which found vent ' train (le), 'pace,' 'rate,' 'retinue,' ' noise,' etc.

être en — de, ' to be in the act of,' ' to

be about to ' être en — , ' to be in high spirits ' aller bon — , ' to go fast ' à fond de — , ' at full speed ' quel — .' ' what a racket ! ' — s means ' rafts '

traîner en justice, ' to drag before the law-courts '

traîneur de sabre (le), *a sword-dangler,' an idle soldier who parades his sword and exhibits its uselessness as well as his own

traiter, ' to treat,' ' negotiate ' ; also ' to call. ' In this sensé it is always followed by de, which précèdes the name bestowed

— quelqu'un de fat, ' to call a person a fop'

— quelqu'un en roi, ' to treat some one as a king '

travaux forcés, ' forced labour,' ' pénal servitude. ' Travail has two plurals ; when it is used in the ordinary sensé of work, labour, the plural is travaux ; when it means a minister's reports, a brake for shoeing horses, the plural is travails travers (de), 'askew,' 'awry' tout a marché de — , ' everything

went wrong' prendre tout de — , ' to take everything amiss' parler de — , ' to speak at random ' avoir l'esprit de — , ' to be crossgrained ' trimestre (le), 'a quarter,' 'a

quarter's pay ' tronc (le), 'a trunk,' 'shaft,'

'stock,' 'a box for alms,' 'a poor-box,' ' charity-box ' trouble, ' hazy,' 'dull,' 'thick,' ' foggv. ' A contracted form of troublé l'étoile — , ' the dim spark ' voir — , ' to be dim-sighted ' pêcher en eau — , ' to fish in troubled waters ' troublé, 'agitated,' ' embar-

rassed ' tunique (la), ' a tunic' Tunique is also used for the redingote, or military frock-coat, worn by infantry soldiers

va (comment — ), ' how is . . ?' A lier is used in référence to the health comment allez-vous ? ' how are you ? ' aller mieux, ' to get better,' ' improve in health ' valet (le), 'a servant-man,' ' groom,' ' knave ' (at cards) le — de cœur, a card used as a 'check' for admittance to a dancing-saloon, etc.

je suis votre — , ' I beg to be excused ' tel maître, tel — , 'like master, like man' valu (cela t'aurait), ' that would hâve cost you ' valoir mieux, ' to be better ' un tiens vaut mieux que deux tu l'auras, ' a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush ' un homme averti en vaut deux,

' forewarned is forearmed ' vaille que vaille, ' at ail events,' 'for better, for worse ' vanité : tirer vanité, faire vanité, and prendre vanité d'une chose ail mean ' to glory in,' ' boast of vanné: lit. 'winnowed,' then ' exhausted ' ; lit. secoué comme le grain vanné velours (le), 'velvet* cils de — , transi. ' soft or silken

lashes.' The adjective is velouté — ras, ' short -nap velvet,' a very common kind venu (le premier), ' the first-

corner,' i.e. anybody and every-

body un nouveau — , 'a new-comer.' See note, p. 28 1. 22 vermouth (le) : a white wine

flavoured with absinthium, or

wormwood, and taken as a

cordial. See absinthe verre (le), 'glass' ; also used in

the sensé of cloche de verre,

' bell-glass ' or ' glass cylinder ' verser, 'topour,' 'empty,' ' pay

in,' ' upset,' ' lodge,' ' deposit '

— Vor à pleines mains, ' to lavish gold'

— des fonds, ' to invest capital ' vésicatoire (le), 'blister,' ' vesi-

catory ' ; also used as an adjective, taffetas vésicatoire, ' blistering plaster ' veste (la), a short, round jacket

without a skirt vicaire (le) is the curate of a ' parish

N.B. Le curé is the vicar. See curé vides (les mains), ' emptyhanded ' avide, ' empty' vigne (la), 'vine,' 'vineyard'

être dans les — s, ' to be in one's cups ' le vigneron, 'vine -dresser,' ' wine-

grower ' le vignoble, ' vineyard ' v'ian ! interj. ' slap ! ' ' bang ! ' vitrine (la), 'glass case,' ' shop-

window ' voile, when masculine, means

'a veil ' (Lat. vélum); when féminine, ' a sail ' (Lat. vêla) avoir un — devant les yeux, ' to hâve

a mist before one's eyes ' prendre le — , ' to take the veil,' ' be-

come a nun ' aller à la — , ' to sail ' voilé, ' veiled ' ; also used in the sensé of ' hidden from sight ' icne voix — e, ' a husky voice ' vol (le), 'theft' — avec effraction, ' house-breaking ' Distinguish between vol, ' theft,' and

vol, ' flight ' à — d'oiseau, ' as the crow Aies ' volupté singulière (la), 'a

strange pleasure ' voûté, ' bent,' ' bowed down ' il commence à se voûter, ' he is beginning to stoop ' vue (la), 'sight,' 'view' perdre quelqu'un de — , ' to lose sight

of some one ' discourir à perte de — , ' to reason at

random ' à — d'œil, ' visibiy '

yatagan (le), ' yataghan ' or 'ataghan,' a cutting and thrusting weapon used by Mahommedan nations, having no guard nor cross-piece, but usually a large pommel

zinc (le), ' zinc '

le —, p. 3 1. 16, means the connter of a wine-merchant's shop, in allusion to the métal with which it is covered

un zinqueur, ' a great drinker '