abut
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C2 verb /əˈbʌt/

abut

border
Meaning
to be next to or share a border with
Example
The park abuts the river on the north side.
Le parc borde la rivière du côté nord.
C2 noun /ˈpjuːdʒɪlɪst/

pugilist

boxeur
Meaning
A professional or skilled boxer.
Example
The pugilist entered the ring with confidence.
Le boxeur est entré dans le ring avec confiance.
C2 adjective /ˈmeɪndʒi/

mangy

sale et usé
Meaning
in poor condition, shabby, dirty, or affected by mange
Example
The stray dog looked mangy and weak.
Le chien errant avait l'air sale et faible.
C2 noun ˈtræn.zi.əns

transience

éphémérité
Meaning
The state or fact of lasting only for a short time; impermanence.
Example
The transience of youth makes it more precious.
La transience de la jeunesse la rend plus précieuse.
C2 noun /prɪˈsɛʃən/

precession

précession
Meaning
The slow movement of the axis of a spinning body around another axis, often referring to Earth's rotation.
Example
Astronomers study the precession of the equinoxes.
Les astronomes étudient la précession des équinoxes.
C2 noun /ˈklæpər/

clapper

pièce métallique à l'intérieur d'une cloche qui la frappe pour produire un son
Meaning
The free-swinging metal piece inside a bell that strikes it to produce sound.
Example
The clapper inside the bell was broken.
La pièce métallique à l'intérieur de la cloche était cassée.
C2 noun /ˈkæʒuɪstri/

casuistry

casuistique
Meaning
The use of clever but false reasoning, especially in relation to moral questions.
Example
The lawyer’s argument was dismissed as mere casuistry.
L'argument de l'avocat a été rejeté comme étant une simple casuistique.
C2 adjective, noun /ˈɡreɪtɪŋ/

grating

son désagréable / grille métallique
Meaning
Harsh and unpleasant to the senses, especially sound; a framework of bars covering an opening.
Example
The teacher's grating voice made it hard to concentrate.
La voix désagréable de l'enseignant rendait la concentration difficile.
C2 verb /ˈrævəl/

ravel

embrouiller / démêler
Meaning
to tangle or complicate; to untangle or unravel depending on context
Example
She began to ravel the loose threads of the sweater.
Elle a commencé à démêler les fils lâches du pull.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnˈekspɜːrt/

inexpert

inexpérimenté
Meaning
not skilled or experienced; lacking expertise
Example
The inexpert handling of the machine caused several mistakes.
La manipulation inexpérimentée de la machine a causé plusieurs erreurs.
C2 noun /ˈprɒm.ən.tɔːr.i/

promontory

promontoire
Meaning
A high point of land or rock projecting into a body of water.
Example
The lighthouse stood on a promontory overlooking the sea.
Le phare se trouvait sur un promontoire surplombant la mer.
C2 noun /ˈpɜːrkwɪzɪt raɪt/

perquisiteperquisiteright

droit aux avantages supplémentaires
Meaning
a legal right to certain benefits or privileges associated with a job or office
Example
The judge enjoyed certain perquisite rights attached to his position.
Le juge a profité de certains droits supplémentaires liés à sa fonction.
C2 noun /ˌɛfəˈvɛsəns/

effervescence

effervescence
Meaning
The release of gas bubbles; vivacity or high-spiritedness.
Example
Her effervescence made her the life of the party.
Son effervescence faisait d'elle la vie de la fête.
C2 noun /ˈaɪ.sɔːr/

Eyesore

un vrai casse-pied; une horreur visuelle
Meaning
something that is very ugly and unpleasant to look at
Example
The abandoned building has become an eyesore in the neighborhood.
Le bâtiment abandonné est devenu un vrai casse-pied dans le quartier.
C2 noun /ˈrɛdʒɪsaɪd/

regicide

régicide
Meaning
the act of killing a king
Example
The conspirators were executed for committing regicide.
Les conspirateurs ont été exécutés pour avoir commis un régicide.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈkoʊ.ɪt/ or /ɪnˈkoʊ.eɪt/

inchoate

incomplet
Meaning
Just begun and not fully formed; rudimentary.
Example
His inchoate ideas needed more research to be developed.
Ses idées incomplètes avaient besoin de plus de recherches pour être développées.
C2 noun /ˈplɛdʒɔːr/

pledgeor

garant
Meaning
a person who gives or offers a pledge or security
Example
The bank accepted the jewelry from the pledgeor as collateral for the loan.
La banque a accepté les bijoux du garant comme garantie pour le prêt.
C2 verb /ˌaʊtməˈnuːvər/

outmaneuver

surpasser habilement
Meaning
to gain an advantage over an opponent by skillful or clever action
Example
The smaller company managed to outmaneuver its larger rival.
La petite entreprise a réussi à surpasser habilement son grand concurrent.
C2 verb, noun /ˈkweɪvər/

quaver

trembler
Meaning
To shake or tremble in speaking, typically through nervousness or emotion.
Example
Her voice quavered as she spoke before the crowd.
Sa voix tremblait lorsqu'elle parlait devant la foule.
C2 noun /dɜːrdʒ/

dirge

élégie
Meaning
A mournful song, piece of music, or poem expressing grief, often for the dead.
Example
The choir sang a solemn dirge at the funeral.
La chorale a chanté une élégie solennelle lors des funérailles.
C2 noun /ˌɪmprəˈsɑːrioʊ/

impresario

impresario
Meaning
A person who organizes or finances concerts, plays, or operas.
Example
The impresario arranged a series of concerts for the rising star.
L'impresario a organisé une série de concerts pour la star montante.
C2 noun /kɔːrˈteɪʒ/

cortege

cortège funèbre
Meaning
a solemn procession, especially for a funeral
Example
A cortege of mourners followed the hearse to the cemetery.
Un cortège de pleureurs a suivi le corbillard jusqu'au cimetière.
C2 verb /dɪˈfoʊlieɪt/

defoliate

dépouiller
Meaning
to strip leaves from a tree, plant, or area, often using chemicals
Example
The farmers defoliated the fields before harvest.
Les agriculteurs ont dépouillé les champs avant la récolte.
C2 noun /ˈɪrˌʃɑːt/

earshot

plage d'audition
Meaning
the range or distance within which a sound can be heard
Example
The children whispered secrets out of earshot of their parents.
Les enfants ont chuchoté des secrets hors de portée de leurs parents.
C2 noun /əˈblɪkwɪti/

obliquity

obliquité
Meaning
Deviation from moral or usual conduct; indirectness or lack of straightforwardness.
Example
The politician was criticized for the obliquity of his answers.
Le politicien a été critiqué pour l'obliquité de ses réponses.
C2 noun /reɪθ/

wraith

spectre
Meaning
A ghost or ghostlike image of someone, especially seen shortly before or after their death.
Example
A wraith appeared in the fog near the old castle.
Un spectre est apparu dans le brouillard près du vieux château.
C2 noun /ˈkɑr.mɪn/

Carmine

carmine
Meaning
a vivid crimson color; a red pigment obtained from cochineal
Example
The artist mixed carmine with white to create a beautiful pink shade.
L'artiste a mélangé le carmine avec du blanc pour créer une belle teinte rose.
C2 adjective /ˈlaʊtɪʃ/

loutish

grossier
Meaning
Clumsy, rude, or aggressive in behavior.
Example
His loutish remarks offended everyone at the meeting.
Ses remarques grossières ont offensé tout le monde à la réunion.
C2 noun /ˈpɪnəs/

pinnace

petit bateau
Meaning
a small boat, often carried by a larger ship
Example
The sailors used a pinnace to reach the shore.
Les marins ont utilisé un petit bateau pour atteindre le rivage.
C2 adjective /ˈfɒksi/

foxy

rusé
Meaning
Clever, cunning, or attractive.
Example
He came up with a foxy plan to win the game.
Il a proposé un plan rusé pour gagner le jeu.
C2 noun /məˈrɔː.dər/

marauder

pillard
Meaning
a person who roams around in search of things to steal or people to attack
Example
Villagers feared the marauders who raided their homes.
Les villageois craignaient les pillards qui attaquaient leurs maisons.
C2 verb /dʒaʊst/

joust

lutte à cheval
Meaning
to engage in a medieval contest on horseback with lances; to compete or argue
Example
The knights prepared to joust in front of the cheering crowd.
Les chevaliers se sont préparés à lutter à cheval devant la foule enthousiaste.
C2 noun /bəˈsuːn/

bassoon

un type de hautbois (instrument à vent en bois de grande taille)
Meaning
a large woodwind instrument with a deep sound
Example
The orchestra featured a beautiful bassoon solo.
L'orchestre a présenté un magnifique solo de basson.
C2 noun /ˌmæskəˈreɪd/

masquerade

fête où les gens portent des masques et des costumes
Meaning
a party or gathering where people wear masks and costumes; a false outward show
Example
The charity event was held as a grand masquerade.
L'événement de charité a eu lieu sous forme de grand masquerade.
C2 adjective /ˈɪnmoʊst/

inmost

le plus intime
Meaning
Situated at the very heart or deepest part; most private or secret.
Example
She revealed her inmost thoughts to her closest friend.
Elle a révélé ses pensées les plus intimes à son ami le plus proche.
C2 verb /diːˈpɒpjʊˌleɪt/

depopulate

dépeupler
Meaning
To reduce the number of people living in a place.
Example
The war threatened to depopulate the once-thriving town.
La guerre menaçait de dépeupler la ville autrefois prospère.
C2 noun /ˌpriːɪɡˈzɪstəns/

preexistence

préexistence
Meaning
the state of existing before something else
Example
Philosophers often debated the preexistence of the soul.
Les philosophes débattaient souvent de la préexistence de l'âme.
C2 noun /ˈfrɛʃɪt/

freshet

crue soudaine du fleuve
Meaning
A sudden overflow of a stream or river caused by heavy rain or melting snow.
Example
After the storm, the river turned into a raging freshet.
Après la tempête, la rivière est devenue un freshet furieux.
C2 adjective /ˌɛlɪˈfæntaɪn/

elephantine

éléphantin
Meaning
Huge, clumsy, or resembling an elephant in size or movement.
Example
The man moved with an elephantine grace.
L'homme se déplaçait avec une grâce éléphantine.
C2 noun /ˈɔːɡjʊri/

augury

augure
Meaning
A sign or omen that is believed to predict future events.
Example
The dark clouds were seen as an augury of an approaching storm.
Les nuages sombres étaient vus comme un augure d'une tempête imminente.
C2 adjective /ɪˈræsɪbl/

irascible

irritable
Meaning
Easily angered; quick-tempered.
Example
His irascible nature often got him into trouble.
Sa nature irritable le mettait souvent dans des situations difficiles.
C2 adjective /pəˈnjʊəriəs/

penurious

extrêmement pauvre
Meaning
extremely poor; poverty-stricken; miserly
Example
The penurious family struggled to buy food.
La famille extrêmement pauvre peinait à acheter de la nourriture.
C2 noun /ˌvɪvɪˈsɛkʃən/

vivisection

la pratique de réaliser des opérations sur des animaux vivants pour la recherche scientifique
Meaning
the practice of performing operations on live animals for scientific research
Example
Vivisection has long been a controversial topic among scientists and animal rights activists.
La vivisection a longtemps été un sujet controversé parmi les scientifiques et les militants des droits des animaux.
C2 noun /ˈfɔːrʃɔːr/

foreshore

rivage
Meaning
The part of the shore between the high and low tide marks
Example
Children were playing on the foreshore, collecting shells.
Les enfants jouaient sur le rivage, ramassant des coquillages.
C2 adjective /ˈklæmərəs/

clamorous

bruyant
Meaning
making a loud and confused noise; expressing strong demands noisily
Example
The clamorous audience demanded an encore from the band.
Le public bruyant a exigé un rappel du groupe.
C2 adjective /ˈɡæŋ.ɡli/

gangly

grand et maladroit
Meaning
Tall, thin, and awkward in movement or appearance.
Example
The gangly teenager stumbled while trying to dance.
Le garçon maladroit trébucha en essayant de danser.
C2 noun /dɪˈmeɪn/

demesne

terres attachées à un manoir
Meaning
Land attached to a manor and retained for the owner's use.
Example
The castle was surrounded by its vast demesne.
Le château était entouré par ses vastes terres attachées à un manoir.
C2 noun /ˈhɑːtʃ.pɑːtʃ/

Hotchpotch

mélange confus; un tas de choses mélangées
Meaning
a confused mixture; a jumbled assortment of things
Example
The room was a hotchpotch of old furniture, books, and random decorations.
La pièce était un mélange confus de vieux meubles, de livres et de décorations aléatoires.
C2 noun /ˈɡeɪm.stər/

gamester

joueur
Meaning
A person who plays games, especially one who plays them skillfully or professionally.
Example
The old tavern was filled with gamesters competing in cards and dice.
L'ancienne taverne était remplie de joueurs qui se mesuraient dans des jeux de cartes et de dés.
C2 adjective ˌmɛɡəˈlɪθɪk

megalithic

mégalithique
Meaning
Relating to or denoting prehistoric monuments made of or containing large stones.
Example
The megalithic structures in ancient civilizations are fascinating.
Les structures mégalithiques dans les civilisations anciennes sont fascinantes.
C2 adjective /ˈkɔːpjʊlənt/

corpulent

corpulent, obèse
Meaning
fat or obese; having a large bulky body
Example
The corpulent man struggled to fit into the small chair.
L'homme corpulent avait du mal à tenir dans la petite chaise.
C2 noun /ˈkæm.fər/

Camphor

camphre
Meaning
a white crystalline substance with a strong aromatic smell, used in medicine and religious ceremonies
Example
The temple was filled with the fragrant smoke of burning camphor.
Le temple était rempli de la fumée parfumée du camphre en combustion.
C2 adjective /kəmˈpleɪzənt/

complaisant

trop complaisant
Meaning
willing to please others or to accept what they do or say without protest
Example
He was too complaisant to refuse their demands.
Il était trop complaisant pour refuser leurs demandes.
C2 noun /məˈnɒkrəsi/

monocracy

monocratie
Meaning
A system of government by a single person; autocracy.
Example
The nation suffered under decades of monocracy.
La nation a souffert sous des décennies de monocratie.
C2 noun /ˌrɛtroʊˈɡrɛʃən/

retrogression

rétrogradation
Meaning
a return to a worse or less developed state
Example
The country experienced economic retrogression after the crisis.
Le pays a connu une rétrogradation économique après la crise.
C2 noun /ˈkɔːrnɪs/

cornice

corniche
Meaning
an ornamental molding around the wall of a room just below the ceiling
Example
The elegant cornice added a classical touch to the living room.
La corniche élégante a ajouté une touche classique au salon.
C2 verb /əˈkuːtər/

accouter

équiper
Meaning
to equip or outfit, typically with military or ceremonial attire
Example
The soldiers were accoutered in full battle gear.
Les soldats étaient équipés de tout l'équipement de combat.
C2 noun /ˈpɛdənt/

pedant

personne pédante
Meaning
A person who is excessively concerned with minor details or rules, often in a showy way.
Example
The professor was criticized as a pedant who focused too much on trivial details.
Le professeur a été critiqué comme un pédant qui se concentrait trop sur des détails triviaux.
C2 adjective /ˈdɪstəl/

distal

distal
Meaning
situated away from the center of the body or from the point of attachment
Example
The doctor examined the distal end of the patient’s arm.
Le médecin a examiné l'extrémité distale du bras du patient.
C2 verb /ˈmɒtl/

mottle

moucheté
Meaning
To mark with spots or patches of color.
Example
The leaves were mottled with shades of yellow and brown.
Les feuilles étaient marquées de taches jaunes et brunes.
C2 verb /sɪˈkwɛstreɪt/

sequestrate

séquestrer
Meaning
To take legal possession of assets until a debt is paid or disputes are resolved.
Example
The court decided to sequestrate the company's property.
Le tribunal a décidé de séquestrer la propriété de l'entreprise.
C2 verb /ɪˈfɛktʃueɪt/

effectuate

effectuer
Meaning
to put into force or cause to happen; to bring about
Example
The manager effectuated the changes to improve efficiency.
Le manager a effectué les changements pour améliorer l'efficacité.
C2 noun /ˈbʊljən/

bullion

or ou argent en vrac
Meaning
Gold or silver in bulk before being coined or made into jewelry.
Example
The bank stores gold bullion in its vaults.
La banque conserve de l'or en vrac dans ses coffres.
C2 verb /ˈræpsəˌdaɪz/

rhapsodize

rhapsodier
Meaning
to speak or write with great enthusiasm and admiration
Example
He would often rhapsodize about his travels to Europe.
Il parlait souvent avec enthousiasme de ses voyages en Europe.
C2 noun /kəˈmɛstɪbəl/

comestible

comestible
Meaning
An item of food that can be eaten.
Example
The picnic basket was full of delicious comestibles.
Le panier de pique-nique était plein de délicieuses comestibles.
C2 noun /ˈpɒmfrɪt/

Pomfret

poisson pomfret
Meaning
A deep-bodied marine fish with silvery scales, popular in Asian cuisine
Example
The restaurant serves delicious pomfret curry with rice.
Le restaurant sert un délicieux curry de pomfret avec du riz.
C2 noun /ˈflɛdʒlɪŋ/

fledgeling

oiseau débutant
Meaning
A young bird that has just developed its feathers and is learning to fly; a beginner.
Example
The fledgeling was trying hard to take its first flight.
L'oiseau débutant essayait de prendre son premier envol.
C2 verb /ɪˈmjʊər/

immure

enfermer
Meaning
to confine or enclose someone against their will
Example
The prisoner was immured in a dark cell.
Le prisonnier a été enfermé dans une cellule sombre.
C2 noun /əˈbeɪəns/

abeyance

suspension temporaire
Meaning
a state of temporary suspension or inactivity
Example
The project was held in abeyance until funds became available.
Le projet a été suspendu jusqu'à ce que les fonds deviennent disponibles.
C2 adjective /kəˈrɛlətɪv/

correlative

corrélatif
Meaning
having a mutual relationship; corresponding
Example
The increase in temperature is correlative with the melting of glaciers.
L'augmentation de la température est corrélative à la fonte des glaciers.
C2 noun /ˈdʒɪb.ɪt/

Gibbet

potence
Meaning
a gallows for hanging criminals; an upright post with a projecting arm for hanging the bodies of criminals
Example
In medieval times, criminals were often executed on a gibbet as a public warning.
Au Moyen Âge, les criminels étaient souvent exécutés sur une potence comme avertissement public.
C2 noun /ˈvɪntnər/

vintner

vigneron / vendeur de vin
Meaning
A person who makes or sells wine.
Example
The vintner explained the process of making red wine.
Le vigneron a expliqué le processus de fabrication du vin rouge.
C2 noun /ˌkɒnvəˈluːʃən/

convolution

convolution, courbe complexe ou structure
Meaning
a twist, coil, or a complex and intricate shape or arrangement
Example
The brain has many convolutions that increase its surface area.
Le cerveau a de nombreuses convolutions qui augmentent sa surface.
C2 adjective /ˌdaɪəˈlɛktɪkəl/

dialectical

dialectique
Meaning
Relating to the logical discussion of ideas and opinions.
Example
She took a dialectical approach to solve the complex issue.
Elle a adopté une approche dialectique pour résoudre la question complexe.
C2 noun /ˈdɔɪən/

doyen

personne respectée
Meaning
The most respected or prominent person in a particular field.
Example
He is regarded as the doyen of modern literature in the country.
Il est considéré comme le doyen de la littérature moderne dans le pays.
C2 noun /taɪð/

tithe

dixième
Meaning
A tenth part of one’s income or produce, often given as a religious offering.
Example
He gave a tithe of his earnings to the church.
Il a donné un dixième de ses gains à l'église.
C2 noun /næˈteɪʃən/

natation

natation
Meaning
The act or sport of swimming.
Example
She took lessons in natation to improve her swimming skills.
Elle a pris des cours de natation pour améliorer ses compétences en natation.
C2 noun /ˈbɒmbæst/

bombast

langage pompeux
Meaning
speech or writing that is overly pompous and inflated
Example
His campaign speech was full of bombast but lacked real substance.
Son discours de campagne était rempli de bombast mais manquait de véritable substance.
C2 noun /kæd/

Cad

scélérat; grossier
Meaning
a man who behaves dishonorably, especially toward women
Example
Everyone at the party avoided him because he was known to be a cad.
Tout le monde à la fête l'a évité parce qu'il était connu pour être un scélérat.
C2 verb /ˈblækˌbɔːl/

blackball

exclure
Meaning
to exclude someone socially or vote against their membership in a group or club
Example
He was blackballed from the club after the controversy.
Il a été exclu du club après la controverse.
C2 noun /ˈhɔːtɪnəs/

haughtiness

arrogance
Meaning
The appearance or quality of being arrogantly superior and disdainful.
Example
His haughtiness made him unpopular among his peers.
Son arrogance l'a rendu impopulaire parmi ses pairs.
C2 adjective /ˈwɪznd/

wizened

ridé
Meaning
Shriveled, wrinkled, or withered, often due to age.
Example
The wizened tree stood in the field for centuries.
L'arbre ridé est resté dans le champ pendant des siècles.
C2 noun /ˈhɪl.sə fɪʃ/

Hilsa fish

poisson hilsa
Meaning
a popular fish species found in South Asian rivers, especially prized in Bengali cuisine
Example
Hilsa fish is considered a delicacy in Bengali culture.
Le poisson hilsa est considéré comme une délicatesse dans la culture bengali.
C2 verb /ˈkænənaɪz/

canonize

canoniser
Meaning
To officially declare a dead person a saint; to regard as great or significant.
Example
The church canonized the martyr after years of investigation.
L'église a canonisé le martyr après des années d'enquête.
C2 noun /ˈdɛkəˌpɒd/

decapod

décapode
Meaning
An arthropod with ten limbs, such as crabs, lobsters, and shrimps.
Example
The lobster is a well-known decapod.
Le homard est un décapode bien connu.
C2 adjective /ɡɑːrˈɡæntʃuən/

gargantuan

gigantesque
Meaning
Extremely large; enormous.
Example
They served a gargantuan meal at the feast.
Ils ont servi un repas gigantesque au banquet.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnkɔːrˈpɔːriəl/

incorporeal

incorporel
Meaning
lacking a physical body; not composed of matter; intangible
Example
Ghosts are often described as incorporeal beings.
Les fantômes sont souvent décrits comme des êtres incorporels.
C2 noun, verb /ˈæseɪ/

assay

analyse
Meaning
To test or analyze the quality, purity, or content of a substance; the act of such testing.
Example
The scientists assayed the mineral sample for gold content.
Les scientifiques ont analysé l'échantillon de minerai pour la teneur en or.
C2 noun /ˈdændi/

dandy

homme qui accorde trop d'attention à son apparence et à ses vêtements
Meaning
a man who gives too much attention to his appearance and clothes
Example
The young dandy spent hours grooming himself before the party.
Le jeune dandy a passé des heures à se préparer avant la fête.
C2 noun /ˈæl.ɪ.mənt/

aliment

aliment
Meaning
food or nourishment that sustains life
Example
Fruits and vegetables are important aliments for a healthy body.
Les fruits et légumes sont des aliments importants pour un corps sain.
C2 noun /æmˈbroʊʒə/

ambrosia

ambroisie
Meaning
The food of the gods in classical mythology; something extremely pleasing to taste or smell.
Example
The dessert was so delicious that it tasted like ambrosia.
Le dessert était tellement délicieux qu'il avait le goût d'ambrosia.
C2 adjective /ˈæpəˌleɪt/

appellate

relatif aux appels
Meaning
relating to appeals in a court of law
Example
The case was taken to an appellate court.
L'affaire a été portée devant un tribunal d'appel.
C2 noun ˌbaɪ.oʊ.əˈveɪ.lə.bɪl.ə.ti

bioavailability

capacité d'absorption du corps
Meaning
The degree to which a substance can be absorbed and used by the body.
Example
Turmeric's bioavailability increases when consumed with black pepper.
La biodisponibilité du curcuma augmente lorsqu'il est consommé avec du poivre noir.
C2 noun /ˈsoʊbrɪˌkeɪ/

sobriquet

surnom
Meaning
a person's nickname or descriptive name
Example
The famous leader was known by the sobriquet 'The Iron Lady'.
Le célèbre leader était connu sous le surnom de 'La Dame de Fer'.
C2 verb /bɪˈtroʊð/

betroth

se fiancer
Meaning
To formally promise to marry someone; to engage.
Example
He was betrothed to the princess at a young age.
Il a été fiancé à la princesse à un jeune âge.
C2 noun /ˈæpəfθɛm/

apophthegm

dicton ou maxime courte, concise et éducative
Meaning
A short, pithy, and instructive saying or maxim.
Example
She always had a witty apophthegm to share at meetings.
Elle avait toujours un apophtegme spirituel à partager lors des réunions.
C2 verb /ˈsʌblɪmeɪt/

sublimate

transformer en activités supérieures
Meaning
to redirect strong emotions or desires into socially acceptable activities or channels
Example
She sublimated her anger into painting beautiful landscapes.
Elle a sublimé sa colère en peignant de beaux paysages.
C2 noun /əˈpɒfəsɪs/

apophasis

apophase
Meaning
A rhetorical device where the speaker brings up a subject by denying it or pretending to pass over it.
Example
The politician used apophasis by saying, 'I won’t even mention my opponent’s scandals.'
Le politicien a utilisé l'apophase en disant : « Je ne mentionnerai même pas les scandales de mon adversaire. »
C2 adjective /ˈpɛkəbl/

peccable

pécheur
Meaning
liable to sin or error; capable of doing wrong
Example
Humans are peccable, but they strive for goodness.
Les humains sont pécheurs, mais ils s'efforcent de faire le bien.
C2 noun/adjective /ˈsaɪklɔɪd/

cycloid

courbe cycloïdienne
Meaning
a curve traced by a point on the rim of a circle as it rolls along a straight line
Example
The cycloid is often studied in mathematics and physics.
La cycloïde est souvent étudiée en mathématiques et en physique.
C2 noun dɪsˈbɜːs.mənt

disbursement

décaissement
Meaning
The payment of money from a fund.
Example
The company's disbursement of salaries was delayed.
Le décaissement des salaires de l'entreprise a été retardé.
C2 adjective /ˈbɔːdi/

bawdy

obscène
Meaning
humorously indecent or obscene, often in a sexual way
Example
The comedian’s bawdy jokes made the audience laugh and blush.
Les blagues obscènes du comédien ont fait rire le public et ont fait rougir certains.
C2 noun /ˈɡɜːrdər/

girder

poutre (en acier)
Meaning
a large, strong beam used to support buildings or bridges
Example
The steel girders held the weight of the bridge.
Les poutres en acier ont soutenu le poids du pont.
C2 noun /sɪˈrɒkoʊ/

sirocco

vent chaud et sec
Meaning
A hot, dry wind blowing from North Africa across the Mediterranean to southern Europe.
Example
The sirocco made the city unbearably hot and dusty.
Le sirocco a rendu la ville insupportablement chaude et poussiéreuse.
C2 adjective ˌsʌr.əpˈtɪʃ.əs

surreptitious

secret
Meaning
Kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of; done stealthily.
Example
She took a surreptitious glance at his notes.
Elle jeta un regard furtif sur ses notes.
C2 adjective /ˈæk.rɪd/

Acrid

âcre et désagréable
Meaning
having a strong, unpleasant, and sharp smell or taste
Example
The acrid smoke from the fire made everyone cough.
La fumée âcre du feu a fait tousser tout le monde.
C2 adjective /ˈmɒtld/

mottled

tacheté
Meaning
Marked with spots, streaks, or blotches of different shades or colors.
Example
The snake's mottled skin helped it blend into the forest floor.
La peau tachetée du serpent l'a aidé à se fondre dans le sol de la forêt.
C2 adjective /sɛnˈsɔːriəs/

censorious

excessivement critique
Meaning
severely critical of others
Example
She was always censorious about her colleagues' mistakes.
Elle était toujours très critique vis-à-vis des erreurs de ses collègues.
C2 noun /kənˈtɔːrʃənz/

contortions

pluriel de contorsion; plusieurs formes tordues ou déformées
Meaning
plural form of contortion; multiple twisted or bent shapes
Example
The magician's contortions left the crowd in awe.
Les contorsions du magicien ont laissé la foule bouche bée.
C2 adjective /rɪˈmɪs/

remiss

négligent
Meaning
Negligent in performing a duty or responsibility.
Example
The manager was remiss in not checking the financial reports carefully.
Le gestionnaire a été négligent en ne vérifiant pas soigneusement les rapports financiers.
C2 noun /sɜːrˈsiːs/

surcease

cessation
Meaning
a temporary or final ending or stopping of something
Example
The noise finally came to a surcease after midnight.
Le bruit a finalement cessé après minuit.
C2 noun /ˈbiːlaɪn/

beeline

ligne droite
Meaning
a straight, direct route to a destination
Example
He made a beeline for the food table as soon as he entered the party.
Il a fait une ligne droite vers la table de nourriture dès qu'il est entré à la fête.
C2 verb /ˈɪməleɪt/

immolate

immoler
Meaning
To kill or sacrifice, especially by burning.
Example
The protesters threatened to immolate themselves in front of the building.
Les manifestants ont menacé de s'immoler devant le bâtiment.
C2 verb /ˌdɪskəmˈpoʊz/

discompose

déstabiliser
Meaning
To disturb the order or calmness of something or someone.
Example
The unexpected question seemed to discompose her.
La question inattendue sembla la déstabiliser.
C2 verb /ˈsʌk.əl/

suckle

allaiter
Meaning
to feed a baby or young animal with milk from the breast or udder
Example
The mother cat suckled her kittens in the basket.
La mère chat a allaité ses chatons dans le panier.
C2 verb /ˈhɛnˌpɛk/

henpeck

être constamment critiqué ou dominé par son épouse
Meaning
To continually criticize, nag, or dominate (especially a husband).
Example
He felt henpecked by his overly controlling wife.
Il se sentait constamment critiqué par sa femme dominante.
C2 noun /sfɪˈrɒmɪtər/

spherometer

sphéromètre
Meaning
An instrument used for measuring the curvature of spherical surfaces.
Example
The scientist used a spherometer to measure the lens curvature.
Le scientifique a utilisé un sphéromètre pour mesurer la courbure de la lentille.
C2 adjective /ˌpjuːsɪˈlænɪməs/

pusillanimous

timoré
Meaning
showing a lack of courage or determination; timid
Example
The pusillanimous leader avoided making tough decisions.
Le leader timoré évitait de prendre des décisions difficiles.
C2 verb /ɪnˈsteɪt/

instate

installer
Meaning
To set up in position, office, or authority.
Example
The board decided to instate her as the new director.
Le conseil a décidé de l'instaurer en tant que nouveau directeur.
C2 adjective/noun /ɪnˈkɑːrnədiːn/

incarnadine

rouge incarnat
Meaning
a bright crimson or pinkish-red color
Example
The sky turned incarnadine at sunset.
Le ciel est devenu rouge incarnat au coucher du soleil.
C2 adjective /ˈhaɪˌbraʊ/

highbrow

intellectuellement supérieur
Meaning
intellectually superior or cultured; often describing art, literature, or activities appealing to intellectual tastes
Example
The museum is known for its highbrow exhibitions.
Le musée est connu pour ses expositions intellectuelles.