banality
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C2 noun /bəˈnæləti/

banality

banalité
Meaning
The condition of being unoriginal, boring, or obvious; trite remark or quality.
Example
The speech was criticized for its banality and lack of originality.
Le discours a été critiqué pour sa banalité et son manque d'originalité.
C2 verb /bɪˈleɪt/

belate

retarder
Meaning
to delay or make late
Example
Heavy traffic belated our arrival at the party.
Le trafic lourd a retardé notre arrivée à la fête.
C2 verb, noun /blæb/

blab

bavarder; divulguer un secret
Meaning
to talk too much or reveal secrets carelessly; excessive or foolish talk
Example
He accidentally blabbed the surprise to everyone.
Il a révélé la surprise par erreur.
C2 adjective /ˈbrætɪʃ/

brattish

gâté
Meaning
acting like a spoiled child; behaving in an annoying, self-centered way
Example
The brattish boy threw a tantrum when he didn’t get his toy.
Le garçon gâté a fait une crise de colère lorsqu'il n'a pas eu son jouet.
C2 verb /ˈbækbaɪt/

backbite

médire
Meaning
to speak negatively about someone who is not present; to slander behind someone’s back
Example
It is wrong to backbite your colleagues behind their backs.
Il est mal de médire de ses collègues en leur absence.
C2 verb /bɪˈfʌdəl/

befuddle

embrouiller
Meaning
to confuse someone completely; to make someone unable to think clearly
Example
The complex instructions befuddled the students.
Les instructions complexes ont embrouillé les étudiants.
C2 adjective /ˈbɔːlki/

balky

têtu
Meaning
difficult, uncooperative, or stubborn
Example
The balky printer refused to work when needed most.
L'imprimante têtue a refusé de fonctionner quand elle en avait le plus besoin.
C2 adjective /bɪˈnaɪtɪd/

benighted

obscur, ignorant
Meaning
In a state of intellectual or moral ignorance; overtaken by darkness.
Example
The explorers were lost in the benighted forest without any guide.
Les explorateurs se sont perdus dans la forêt obscure sans guide.
C2 verb /blæsˈfiːm/

blaspheme

blasphémer
Meaning
to speak irreverently about God or sacred things
Example
He was accused of blaspheming during the heated argument.
Il a été accusé de blasphémer pendant la dispute intense.
C2 noun /ˈbaɪəˌɡræf/

biograph

biographie
Meaning
A written account of a person's life; an early motion-picture projector (historical use).
Example
The library holds an old biograph of the poet.
La bibliothèque possède une ancienne biographie du poète.
C2 noun /ˈbʊlrʌʃ/

bulrush

jonc
Meaning
A tall plant with long leaves that grows in or near water, also known as a cattail.
Example
The pond was surrounded by tall bulrushes swaying in the wind.
L'étang était entouré de hauts jonc swaying dans le vent.
C2 noun /ˈbɒnəmi/

bonhomie

bonhomie
Meaning
Cheerful friendliness and geniality.
Example
The meeting was filled with laughter and bonhomie.
La réunion était pleine de rires et de bonhomie.
C2 verb /biˈætɪfaɪ/

beatify

béatifier
Meaning
to make blessed or holy, especially in the Roman Catholic Church, to declare a deceased person to be among the blessed
Example
The pope decided to beatify the martyr for his faith and sacrifice.
Le pape a décidé de béatifier le martyr pour sa foi et son sacrifice.
C2 noun /ˈbrɪk ə ˌbræk/

bric-a-brac

objets décoratifs
Meaning
Small decorative objects or ornaments, often of little value.
Example
The shelves were filled with old bric-a-brac from her travels.
Les étagères étaient remplies de vieux objets décoratifs de ses voyages.
C2 noun /ˈbɪvuˌæk/

bivouac

bivouac
Meaning
a temporary camp without tents or cover, usually used by soldiers or mountaineers
Example
The climbers set up a bivouac on the mountainside.
Les grimpeurs ont installé un bivouac sur le flanc de la montagne.
C2 verb /bɪˈdɔːb/

bedaub

barbouiller
Meaning
to smear or cover with a sticky or dirty substance
Example
The children bedaubed the wall with paint.
Les enfants ont barbouillé le mur avec de la peinture.
C2 noun /ˈbɜːrɡər/

burgher

bourgeois
Meaning
A citizen of a town, typically a member of the wealthy middle class.
Example
The burgher was respected as a prosperous merchant in the city.
Le bourgeois était respecté comme un marchand prospère dans la ville.
C2 noun /bɜːrˈlɛsk/

burlesque

burlesque
Meaning
A humorous and exaggerated imitation of a serious work; a type of theatrical entertainment involving comedy and parody.
Example
The play was a clever burlesque of traditional opera.
La pièce était une burlesque ingénieuse de l'opéra traditionnel.
C2 noun /bəˈlɛəroʊ/

bolero

boléro (une danse espagnole ou une veste courte ouverte à l'avant)
Meaning
A Spanish dance in slow triple time, or a short jacket open at the front.
Example
The dancers performed a passionate bolero at the festival.
Les danseurs ont exécuté un boléro passionné lors du festival.
C2 noun /ˌbæstərdaɪˈzeɪʃən/

bastardization

dégénérescence / altération
Meaning
the act of corrupting, degrading, or misrepresenting something
Example
Critics called the remake a bastardization of the original film.
Les critiques ont qualifié le remake de bastardisation du film original.
C2 verb /bɪˈsiːtʃ/

beseech

supplier
Meaning
To ask someone urgently and fervently to do something; to beg.
Example
He beseeched the judge for mercy.
Il supplia le juge pour la clémence.
C2 verb /bɪˈweɪl/

bewail

déplorer
Meaning
to express deep sorrow or regret over something; to mourn openly
Example
She bewailed the loss of her childhood home.
Elle a déploré la perte de sa maison d’enfance.
C2 verb /bɪˈkɑːm/

becalm

calmer
Meaning
to make calm or still; to deprive a sailing vessel of wind
Example
The captain tried to becalm the anxious crew.
Le capitaine a essayé de calmer l'équipage anxieux.
C2 adjective /beɪˈkoʊniən/

baconian

baconien
Meaning
Relating to the philosopher Francis Bacon or his method of scientific reasoning.
Example
The researcher followed a Baconian approach to observation and experimentation.
Le chercheur a suivi une approche baconienne de l'observation et de l'expérimentation.
C2 noun /bɛl/

belle

belle femme
Meaning
A beautiful woman, especially the most attractive woman at a gathering.
Example
She was the belle of the ball that evening.
Elle était la belle du bal ce soir-là.
C2 adjective /ˈbræsi/

brassy

tapageur
Meaning
loud and showy in a way that lacks good taste; resembling brass in color or sound
Example
She wore a brassy necklace that caught everyone’s attention.
Elle portait un collier tapageur qui attirait l'attention de tout le monde.
C2 adjective /ˈbʊərɪʃ/

boorish

rude
Meaning
Rude, insensitive, and lacking manners or refinement.
Example
His boorish behavior ruined the dinner party.
Son comportement rude a ruiné la fête du dîner.
C2 noun /ˈbækənæl/

bacchanal

fête sauvage
Meaning
A noisy party involving drinking and revelry.
Example
The festival turned into a wild bacchanal by midnight.
Le festival s'est transformé en une fête sauvage à minuit.
C2 verb /ˈbaʊdləˌraɪz/

bowdlerize

supprimer les parties offensantes
Meaning
to remove or modify parts of a text considered offensive or inappropriate
Example
The editor bowdlerized the novel to make it suitable for children.
L'éditeur a baudelérisé le roman pour le rendre adapté aux enfants.
C2 noun /ˈbroʊmaɪd/

bromide

idée banale
Meaning
A trite or unoriginal idea or remark; also a chemical compound of bromine.
Example
His speech was full of old bromides about hard work.
Son discours était rempli de vieilles idées banales sur le travail acharné.
C2 noun /ˈbriːtʃɪz/

Breeckes

pantalons jusqu'aux genoux
Meaning
knee-length trousers; short pants
Example
He wore riding breeches for the equestrian event.
Il portait des pantalons jusqu'aux genoux pour l'événement équestre.
C2 adjective /bɪˈsɒtɪd/

besotted

fou amoureux, obsédé
Meaning
strongly infatuated or obsessed with someone or something
Example
He was completely besotted with her charm.
Il était complètement fou amoureux de son charme.
C2 verb /ˈblʌdʒən/

bludgeon

frapper avec un gourdin
Meaning
to hit someone with a heavy object; to force someone into doing something
Example
The guard was bludgeoned by the attacker in the alley.
Le garde a été frappé avec un gourdin par l'attaquant dans la ruelle.
C2 adjective /ˈbɛlɪˌkoʊs/

bellicose

belliqueux
Meaning
Showing a tendency to argue or fight; aggressive.
Example
His bellicose attitude often got him into unnecessary conflicts.
Son attitude belliqueuse le mettait souvent dans des conflits inutiles.
C2 noun /ˌbræɡəˈdoʊʃioʊ/

braggadocio

comportement prétentieux
Meaning
boastful or arrogant behavior; empty boasting
Example
His endless braggadocio annoyed everyone at the party.
Son comportement prétentieux sans fin agaçait tout le monde à la fête.
C2 adjective /ˈboʊvaɪn/

bovine

lié au bétail
Meaning
relating to cattle; showing a dull or sluggish nature
Example
Her bovine expression revealed no emotions.
Son expression bovine n'a révélé aucune émotion.
C2 noun /ˈboʊsən/

boatswain

officier de bord
Meaning
a ship's officer in charge of equipment and the crew
Example
The boatswain supervised the sailors on deck.
Le bôt-swên a supervisé les marins sur le pont.
C2 noun /ˈbɑːrtərər/

barterer

barteur
Meaning
A person who trades goods or services without using money.
Example
The barterer exchanged fruits for some pottery.
Le barteur a échangé des fruits contre des pots.
C2 noun /bɪˈtroʊðəl/

betrothal

fiançailles
Meaning
The formal engagement to be married.
Example
Their betrothal was announced to the whole village.
Leurs fiançailles ont été annoncées à tout le village.
C2 verb /ˈbɜːrnɪʃ/

burnish

lustrer
Meaning
To polish something by rubbing; to enhance or improve.
Example
He burnished the old table until it shone.
Il a lustré la vieille table jusqu'à ce qu'elle brille.
C2 noun /ˈbroʊɡən/

brogan

chaussure lourde
Meaning
A heavy, sturdy shoe, often made of leather.
Example
The farmer wore old brogans while working in the field.
Le fermier portait de vieux brogans pendant qu'il travaillait dans le champ.
C2 noun /ˈbɪbliəfaɪl/

bibliophile

bibliophile
Meaning
A person who loves or collects books.
Example
She is a true bibliophile who spends weekends at old bookstores.
Elle est une véritable bibliophile qui passe ses week-ends dans des librairies anciennes.
C2 adjective /ˈbɪbjələs/

bibulous

ivrogne
Meaning
Excessively fond of drinking alcohol.
Example
His bibulous habits worried his family.
Ses habitudes ivrognes inquiétaient sa famille.
C2 verb /bɪˈstraɪd/

bestride

dominer
Meaning
To sit or stand astride something; to dominate over.
Example
The statue bestrides the city square.
La statue domine la place de la ville.
C2 adjective /bɪˈnɪɡnənt/

benignant

bienveillant, généreux
Meaning
Kindly and benevolent in nature.
Example
The teacher’s benignant attitude made the students feel comfortable.
L'attitude bénigne du professeur a rendu les étudiants à l'aise.
C2 noun /ˈbriːzˌweɪ/

breezeway

passage couvert
Meaning
A roofed outdoor passage, often connecting two buildings.
Example
The breezeway connected the house to the garage.
Le passage couvert reliait la maison au garage.
C2 adjective /ˈbaɪ.fərˌkeɪ.tɪd/

bifurcated

divisé en deux parties
Meaning
Divided into two branches or parts.
Example
The river became bifurcated as it flowed around the island.
Le fleuve est devenu bifurqué en deux parties lorsqu'il a traversé l'île.
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 adjective /ˈbiːstiəl/

bestial

bestial
Meaning
Relating to beasts; showing savagery, brutality, or lacking human sensibility.
Example
The prisoners were treated in a bestial manner.
Les prisonniers ont été traités de manière bestiale.
C2 noun /ˈbɪɡ.ə.mɪst/

bigamist

bigame
Meaning
A person who commits the crime of marrying someone while already married to another.
Example
The man was arrested for being a bigamist.
L'homme a été arrêté pour être un bigame.
C2 verb /baɪd/

bide

attendre
Meaning
to wait patiently for the right time or opportunity
Example
He decided to bide his time before making a move.
Il a décidé d'attendre son moment avant de faire un mouvement.
C2 noun /ˈbrɪmˌstoʊn/

brimstone

soufre
Meaning
Sulfur, especially when considered as fiery and associated with hell or divine punishment.
Example
The preacher spoke of fire and brimstone to warn the congregation.
The preacher spoke of fire and brimstone to warn the congregation.
C2 adjective /ˈbreɪsɪŋ/

bracing

revigorant
Meaning
Invigorating, refreshing, or providing strength and energy.
Example
The hikers enjoyed the bracing mountain air.
Les randonneurs ont apprécié l'air vivifiant de la montagne.
C2 noun /ˌbædɪˈnɑːʒ/

badinage

badinage, conversation plaisante
Meaning
Playful and humorous conversation; banter.
Example
The friends enjoyed a light badinage over coffee.
Les amis ont apprécié une légère badinage autour du café.
C2 adjective /ˈbɑː.bər.əs/

Barbarous

barbare; cruel; sauvage
Meaning
extremely cruel; uncivilized; savage
Example
The barbarous treatment of prisoners was condemned by human rights organizations.
Le traitement barbare des prisonniers a été condamné par les organisations de droits de l'homme.
C2 verb /bɪˈteɪk/

betake

se rendre à; recourir à
Meaning
to go or resort to a place or course of action, especially as a response; to apply oneself
Example
After dinner, she betook herself to her room to read.
Après le dîner, elle se rendit dans sa chambre pour lire.
C2 adjective /ˈbɒni/

Bonny

joli; charmant; joyeux
Meaning
cheerful; pretty; attractive
Example
The bonny child played happily in the garden.
L'enfant joli a joué joyeusement dans le jardin.
C2 adjective /ˈblæs.fə.məs/

blasphemous

blasphématoire
Meaning
showing disrespect or lack of reverence for God or sacred things
Example
The book was banned for its blasphemous content.
Le livre a été interdit pour son contenu blasphématoire.
C2 noun /ˌbɪbliəʊˈmeɪniə/

bibliomania

bibliomanie
Meaning
An extreme obsession with collecting or possessing books.
Example
His bibliomania led him to fill every room with books.
Sa bibliomanie l'a poussé à remplir chaque pièce de livres.
C2 adjective /ˈbeɪnfəl/

baneful

nuisible
Meaning
Causing harm, ruin, or destruction; deadly or poisonous.
Example
His baneful influence ruined the community.
Son influence nuisible a ruiné la communauté.
C2 noun /bəˈθɪm.ə.tri/

bathymetry

bathymétrie
Meaning
The measurement of depth of water in oceans, seas, or lakes.
Example
Bathymetry is essential for understanding oceanic topography.
La bathymétrie est essentielle pour comprendre la topographie océanique.
C2 noun /ˈbɑːr.bər/

Barbar

coiffeur
Meaning
a person whose job is to cut men's hair and shave or trim beards
Example
The barber gave him a perfect haircut for his wedding.
Le coiffeur lui a donné une coupe de cheveux parfaite pour son mariage.
C2 noun /bəˈfuːnəri/

buffoonery

bouffonnerie
Meaning
Foolish or ridiculous behavior intended to amuse.
Example
His constant buffoonery irritated the serious audience.
Sa bouffonnerie constante irritait le public sérieux.
C2 noun /ˈbʌskɪn/

buskin

botte épaisse
Meaning
A type of thick-soled boot that reaches halfway to the knee; also associated with tragic drama in ancient times.
Example
The actor wore a buskin as part of his classical costume.
L'acteur portait un buskin comme partie de son costume classique.
C2 adjective /ˈbʌksəm/

buxom

femme ronde et attrayante
Meaning
Plump, with a full figure and often large-breasted, especially used to describe women.
Example
The actress was described as a cheerful and buxom woman.
L'actrice a été décrite comme une femme joyeuse et ronde.
C2 verb /ˈbaɪfərˌkeɪt/

bifurcate

diviser en deux parties
Meaning
to divide into two branches or parts
Example
The road bifurcates into two separate paths at the hill.
La route bifurque en deux chemins séparés au sommet de la colline.
C2 verb /ˈbɜːrdʒən/

burgeon

croître rapidement
Meaning
To grow or develop rapidly; to flourish.
Example
The city's population began to burgeon after the new factory opened.
La population de la ville a commencé à croître rapidement après l'ouverture de la nouvelle usine.
C2 noun /ˈbʌt.ə.flaɪ piː/

Butterfly Pea

pois papillon
Meaning
a blue flowering plant with butterfly-shaped flowers, used to make herbal tea
Example
Butterfly pea flowers turn tea into a beautiful blue color.
Les fleurs de pois papillon donnent au thé une belle couleur bleue.
C2 adjective /ˈbrɔːni/

brawny

musclé
Meaning
Physically strong and muscular.
Example
The brawny man lifted the heavy box with ease.
L'homme musclé a soulevé la boîte lourde avec facilité.
C2 noun /ˌbʌkəˈnɪər/

buccaneer

pirate
Meaning
a pirate, especially one active in the Caribbean during the 17th and 18th centuries
Example
The buccaneer sailed across the Caribbean in search of treasure.
Le pirate a navigué à travers les Caraïbes à la recherche de trésors.
C2 adverb /ˈbruːskli/ or /ˈbrʌskli/

brusquely

brusquement
Meaning
in a blunt, abrupt, or rude manner
Example
She brusquely dismissed the suggestion.
Elle a rejeté la suggestion brusquement.
C2 adjective /ˈbɛərˌfeɪst/

barefaced

effronté
Meaning
shameless and undisguised; openly bold or unashamed
Example
He told a barefaced lie in front of everyone.
Il a raconté un mensonge effronté devant tout le monde.
C2 noun /ˈbɔːl.səm ˈæp.əl/

Balsam apple

melon amer
Meaning
a bitter gourd vegetable with a bumpy green skin, also known as bitter melon
Example
Balsam apple is cooked with spices to reduce its bitter taste.
Le melon amer est cuit avec des épices pour réduire son goût amer.
C2 noun /ˈbærəˌɡræf/

barograph

instrument qui enregistre les variations de pression atmosphérique
Meaning
an instrument that records changes in atmospheric pressure
Example
The scientist checked the barograph for pressure variations.
Le scientifique a vérifié le barographe pour les variations de pression.
C2 verb /bɪˈlaɪ/

belie

démentir
Meaning
To give a false impression of something; to contradict.
Example
His calm face belied his inner anxiety.
Son visage calme démentait son anxiété intérieure.
C2 noun /brəˈkeɪd/

brocade

tissu brodé
Meaning
a rich fabric woven with a raised pattern, often in gold or silver thread
Example
She wore a beautiful brocade dress to the wedding.
Elle portait une belle robe en brocart au mariage.
C2 verb /bɪˈleɪbər/

belabor

insister
Meaning
to argue or elaborate on a subject in excessive detail; to attack verbally or physically
Example
The professor belabored the point until the students grew restless.
Le professeur a insisté sur le point jusqu'à ce que les étudiants deviennent agités.
C2 verb /bɪˈmjuːz/

bemuse

déranger
Meaning
To confuse or puzzle someone.
Example
The complex instructions bemused the new employees.
Les instructions complexes ont déconcerté les nouveaux employés.
C2 noun /ˈbreɪziər/

Brazier

ouvrier en laiton
Meaning
a worker in brass; a portable container for burning charcoal or coal
Example
The brazier crafted beautiful brass ornaments.
L'ouvrier en laiton a fabriqué de magnifiques bijoux en laiton.
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 verb /bɪˈleɪ/

belay

sécuriser une corde
Meaning
to secure a rope by winding it around an object; to stop or cancel an order (nautical/military use)
Example
The climber asked his partner to belay the rope tightly.
L'escaladeur a demandé à son partenaire de sécuriser la corde serrée.
C2 noun /boʊl/

bole

tronc d'arbre
Meaning
the trunk of a tree
Example
The bole of the tree was thick and strong.
Le tronc de l'arbre était épais et solide.
C2 adjective /baɪˈkæmərəl/

bicameral

bicaméral
Meaning
Having two branches or chambers, especially in a legislature.
Example
The United States has a bicameral legislature consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Les États-Unis ont une législature bicamérale composée du Sénat et de la Chambre des représentants.
C2 noun /ˈbɛlˌwɛðər/

bellwether

indicateur de tendance
Meaning
A person or thing that leads or indicates a trend.
Example
The company is seen as a bellwether of the technology industry.
L'entreprise est considérée comme un indicateur de tendance dans l'industrie technologique.
C2 noun /ˈbrɪɡ.ənd/

brigand

brigand
Meaning
A member of a gang that ambushes and robs people in forests or mountains; a bandit.
Example
The travelers were attacked by brigands in the mountains.
Les voyageurs ont été attaqués par des brigands dans les montagnes.
C2 noun /bɒmˈbeɪ dʌk/

Bombay duck

poisson Bombay
Meaning
a type of lizardfish found in coastal waters, commonly eaten dried and salted in South Asia
Example
Bombay duck is a popular delicacy when dried and fried.
Le poisson Bombay est un mets populaire lorsqu'il est séché et frit.
C2 verb /bɪˈdɛk/

bedeck

décorer
Meaning
to decorate or adorn something in a showy way
Example
The hall was bedecked with flowers for the wedding.
La salle a été décorée de fleurs pour le mariage.
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 noun /ˌbuː.ɡənˈvɪl.i.ə/

Bougainvillea

bougainvillée
Meaning
a tropical climbing plant with colorful bracts surrounding small flowers
Example
The bougainvillea climbing over the garden wall creates a beautiful purple display.
La bougainvillée grimpant sur le mur du jardin crée une belle exposition violette.
C2 verb /bɪˈfaʊl/

befoul

souiller
Meaning
to make dirty or polluted; to disgrace or corrupt
Example
The factory waste befouled the river.
Les déchets de l’usine ont souillé la rivière.
C2 noun /blæk biː/

Black-bee

abeille noire
Meaning
a large dark-colored bee that makes a loud buzzing sound
Example
The black-bee was buzzing around the flowers in the garden.
L'abeille noire bourdonnait autour des fleurs dans le jardin.
C2 noun /bʊr/

Boor

personne grossière; rustre
Meaning
a rough and bad-mannered person; someone who lacks refinement or culture
Example
The wealthy businessman was actually a boor who showed no respect for others.
L'homme d'affaires riche était en fait un rustre qui ne montrait aucun respect envers les autres.
C2 noun /baɪt/

bight

courbure
Meaning
A bend or curve in a geographical feature, especially a coastline, or a loop in a rope.
Example
The sailors anchored in the calm waters of the bight.
Les marins ont jeté l'ancre dans les eaux calmes de la courbure.
C2 noun /breɪ/

brae

versant
Meaning
A hillside or slope, especially in Scotland.
Example
They climbed up the grassy brae to see the sunset.
Ils ont grimpé la lisière herbeuse pour voir le coucher du soleil.
C2 noun /ˈbɪɡ.ə.mi/

bigamy

bigamie
Meaning
The act of marrying one person while still legally married to another.
Example
He was charged with bigamy after his second marriage was discovered.
Il a été accusé de bigamie après que son second mariage ait été découvert.
C2 verb /ˈblændɪʃ/

blandish

flatter
Meaning
to flatter or coax someone with kind words or praise in order to influence them
Example
He blandished the officials with compliments to gain their support.
Il a flatté les responsables pour obtenir leur soutien.
C2 verb /boʊd/

bode

présager
Meaning
to be an omen of a particular outcome, often something bad
Example
The dark clouds bode a heavy storm.
Les nuages sombres annoncent une tempête violente.
C2 noun /ˈbɛnɪfɪs/

benefice

bénéfice ecclésiastique
Meaning
a permanent church appointment for which property and income are provided
Example
The bishop appointed him to a wealthy benefice.
L'évêque l'a nommé à un bénéfice ecclésiastique riche.
C2 noun /ˈbɑːr.nɪ.kəl/

Barnacle

balane
Meaning
a marine crustacean that attaches itself permanently to underwater surfaces
Example
The old ship's hull was covered with barnacles.
La coque du vieux navire était couverte de balanes.
C2 adjective /ˈbɪz.ən.taɪn/ or /ˈbaɪ.zənˌtiːn/

byzantine

complexe
Meaning
Extremely complicated and detailed; relating to the Byzantine Empire or its style.
Example
The new tax regulations are so byzantine that few understand them.
Les nouvelles réglementations fiscales sont tellement complexes que peu de gens les comprennent.
C2 verb /bɪlk/

bilk

escroquer
Meaning
To cheat or defraud someone of money or rights.
Example
The scammer tried to bilk elderly people out of their savings.
L'escroc a essayé de soutirer de l'argent aux personnes âgées en leur volant leurs économies.
C2 noun /ˈbrɔːdˌsaɪd/

broadside

attaque violente
Meaning
a strong verbal attack or a sheet of paper printed on one side
Example
The politician launched a broadside against his opponent.
Le politicien a lancé une attaque violente contre son opposant.
C2 verb /ˈbækˌslaɪd/

backslide

rétrograder
Meaning
To relapse into bad habits, undesirable practices, or moral decline.
Example
After months of progress, he began to backslide into old habits.
Après des mois de progrès, il a commencé à revenir à ses anciennes habitudes.
C2 adjective /bɪˈfɒɡd/

befogged

confus, embrouillé
Meaning
Confused or clouded in mind; made unclear like being surrounded by fog.
Example
His mind felt befogged after the long and exhausting meeting.
Son esprit se sentait embrouillé après la longue réunion épuisante.
C2 verb /ˈbændi/

bandy

échanger
Meaning
To pass (words, ideas, or gossip) back and forth in a casual or argumentative way.
Example
They bandied jokes across the table.
Ils échangeaient des blagues à travers la table.
C2 noun /ˈbuːt.leɪs/

Boot-lace

lacet de botte
Meaning
a cord or string used to fasten a boot or shoe
Example
I need to tie my boot-lace before going for a walk.
Je dois attacher mon lacet de botte avant de partir en promenade.
C2 noun /boʊl/

boll

capsule arrondie de graines (comme celles de coton ou de lin)
Meaning
The rounded seed capsule of plants such as cotton or flax.
Example
The farmer examined the cotton boll to check its quality.
L'agriculteur a examiné le bol de coton pour vérifier sa qualité.
C2 noun, verb /ˈbɛvəl/

bevel

biseau
Meaning
A sloping edge or surface; to cut or shape an edge at an angle.
Example
The carpenter beveled the edges of the table.
Le menuisier a biseauté les bords de la table.
C2 noun /ˈbɛnɪsən/

benison

bénédiction
Meaning
A blessing or benefit.
Example
The rain was a benison for the drought-stricken farmers.
La pluie était une bénédiction pour les agriculteurs frappés par la sécheresse.
C2 noun /ˌbenɪˈdɪkʃən/

Benediction

bénédiction
Meaning
a blessing, especially a ceremonial one; an expression of good wishes
Example
The priest gave his benediction to the newlyweds.
Le prêtre a donné sa bénédiction aux nouveaux mariés.
C2 verb /ˈbætn/

batten

fixer
Meaning
To fasten or secure something tightly.
Example
They battened down the hatches before the storm.
Ils ont fixé les écoutilles avant la tempête.
C2 verb /bɪˈsmɜːrtʃ/

besmirch

ternir
Meaning
to damage someone's reputation; to make dirty or stained
Example
He tried to besmirch her good name with false rumors.
Il a essayé de ternir son bon nom avec de fausses rumeurs.
C2 verb /bɪˈtəʊkən/

betoken

présager
Meaning
to be a sign or indication of something
Example
Dark clouds betoken an approaching storm.
Les nuages sombres présagent une tempête qui approche.
C2 noun /ˈbɛvi/

bevy

troupe, groupe
Meaning
A large group of people or things of a particular kind.
Example
A bevy of swans floated on the lake.
Un groupe de cygnes flottait sur le lac.
C2 noun /ˌbeɪt ˈnwɑːr/

bete noire

une chose détestée
Meaning
A person or thing that one particularly dislikes or fears.
Example
Grammar has always been his bete noire.
La grammaire a toujours été sa bête noire.
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 verb /beɪt/

bate

réduire, atténuer
Meaning
to lessen or restrain; to diminish the force or intensity of something
Example
He spoke with bated breath as he waited for the result.
Il parla avec une respiration retenue en attendant le résultat.
C2 noun /ˈbræɡərt/

braggart

vaniteux
Meaning
a person who boasts about achievements or possessions
Example
No one liked him because he was such a braggart.
Personne ne l'aimait car c'était un vaniteux.
C2 verb /bɪˈhuːvz/

behooves

il est nécessaire
Meaning
third person singular form of 'behoove'; means it is proper or necessary
Example
It behooves every citizen to follow the law.
Il est nécessaire que chaque citoyen suive la loi.
C2 noun /brɔːn/

brawn

force physique
Meaning
physical strength in contrast to intelligence
Example
He used his brawn to lift the heavy box.
Il a utilisé sa force physique pour soulever la boîte lourde.
C2 adjective /bjuːˈkɒlɪk/

bucolic

bucolique
Meaning
Relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life.
Example
They enjoyed a bucolic picnic by the river.
Ils ont apprécié un pique-nique bucolique au bord de la rivière.