cajole
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C2 verb /kəˈdʒoʊl/

cajole

cajoler
Meaning
To persuade someone to do something by flattery or gentle urging.
Example
She managed to cajole her friend into joining the trip.
Elle a réussi à cajoler son amie pour qu'elle se joigne au voyage.
C2 adjective /ˈprɑːflɪɡət/

profligate

dissipateur
Meaning
recklessly extravagant or wasteful in resources
Example
The king was known for his profligate lifestyle.
Le roi était connu pour son style de vie dissipateur.
C2 noun /lɪˈnoʊ.li.əm/

linoleum

linoléum
Meaning
a durable, washable floor covering made from solidified linseed oil, wood flour, or cork dust on a canvas backing
Example
They decided to cover the kitchen floor with linoleum.
Ils ont décidé de recouvrir le sol de la cuisine avec du linoléum.
C2 adjective /ˈfrɒθi/

frothy

mousseux
Meaning
Full of or covered with small bubbles; light and insubstantial.
Example
She ordered a cup of frothy cappuccino.
Elle a commandé une tasse de cappuccino mousseux.
C2 verb /ˈfrɪtər/

fritter

gaspiller
Meaning
To waste time, money, or energy on trivial matters.
Example
He frittered away his savings on unnecessary gadgets.
Il a gaspillé ses économies sur des gadgets inutiles.
C2 adjective /ˈflæb.i/

Flabby

mou et lâche; manque de fermeté ou de tonus musculaire; faible
Meaning
soft and loose; lacking firmness or muscle tone; weak
Example
His flabby arms showed he needed to exercise more.
Ses bras flasques montraient qu'il avait besoin de faire plus d'exercice.
C2 verb /dɪsˈkʌmfɪt/

discomfit

déconcerter
Meaning
to make someone feel uneasy, embarrassed, or confused
Example
The interviewer’s tough questions discomfited the candidate.
Les questions difficiles de l'intervieweur ont déstabilisé le candidat.
C2 noun /sɛnˈtjʊəriən/

centurion

centurion
Meaning
A commander of a unit of one hundred soldiers in the ancient Roman army.
Example
The centurion led his men into battle with courage.
Le centurion a mené ses hommes au combat avec courage.
C2 noun /ˌfjuːzɪˈleɪd/

fusillade

rafale
Meaning
A series of shots fired or missiles thrown all at the same time or in quick succession.
Example
The soldiers advanced under a fusillade of bullets.
Les soldats ont avancé sous un rafale de balles.
C2 adjective /ˈleɪ.baɪl/ or /ˈlæb.aɪl/

labile

instable
Meaning
easily altered or unstable; prone to change
Example
Her mood was so labile that it changed several times in an hour.
Son humeur était tellement instable qu'elle a changé plusieurs fois en une heure.
C2 verb /ɛnˈdʒɔɪn/

enjoin

ordonner, interdire
Meaning
to instruct or urge someone to do something; to prohibit legally
Example
The judge enjoined the company from continuing its activities.
Le juge a interdit à l'entreprise de poursuivre ses activités.
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 /ˈæpəplɛksi/

apoplexy

Perte soudaine de conscience ou de contrôle due à un AVC ou à une colère extrême
Meaning
A sudden loss of consciousness or control due to stroke or extreme anger.
Example
The old man nearly had apoplexy when he heard the shocking news.
Le vieil homme a failli avoir une apoplexie lorsqu'il a entendu la nouvelle choquante.
C2 adjective /ˌhɪstriˈɒnɪk/

histrionic

excessivement dramatique
Meaning
Overly dramatic or theatrical in behavior or style.
Example
Her histrionic reaction to the small problem surprised everyone.
Sa réaction histrionique au petit problème a surpris tout le monde.
C2 noun /ˈdʒæk.dɔː/

Jack-daw

petit corbeau
Meaning
a small gray and black bird of the crow family, known for its intelligence
Example
The jackdaw collected shiny objects for its nest.
Le jackdaw a collecté des objets brillants pour son nid.
C2 verb /aɪˈdɒləˌtraɪz/

idolatrize

idolâtrer
Meaning
To worship idols; to regard with excessive devotion or admiration.
Example
They began to idolatrize the statue as a deity.
Ils ont commencé à idolâtrer la statue comme une divinité.
C2 noun /meɪˈlɑːnʒ/

melange

mélange
Meaning
A mixture of different things or styles.
Example
The festival offered a melange of music, food, and art.
Le festival a offert un mélange de musique, de nourriture et d'art.
C2 verb /bɪˈdaɪzən/

bedizen

orner de manière ostentatoire
Meaning
to dress up or decorate in a showy or tasteless way
Example
She was bedizened with cheap jewelry.
Elle était ornée de bijoux bon marché.
C2 noun /dɪˈtrækʃən/

detraction

détournement
Meaning
The act of belittling or taking away from the value of something.
Example
Her constant detraction of others made her unpopular.
Sa constante dévalorisation des autres l'a rendue impopulaire.
C2 noun /raɪm/

rime

givre
Meaning
frost formed on cold surfaces by freezing water vapor
Example
The trees were covered with a white rime after the cold night.
Les arbres étaient recouverts de givre blanc après la nuit froide.
C2 noun /ˌdaɪələˈtɪʃən/

dialectician

dialecticien
Meaning
A person skilled in dialectic or logical argument.
Example
Socrates is often considered the greatest dialectician in history.
Socrate est souvent considéré comme le plus grand dialecticien de l'histoire.
C2 noun /ˈɛpɪkjʊr/

epicure

épicurien
Meaning
A person who enjoys fine food and drink, often with refined taste.
Example
As an epicure, she always sought out the finest restaurants in the city.
En tant qu’épicurienne, elle recherchait toujours les meilleurs restaurants de la ville.
C2 adjective /ˈmɒθ ˌiːtən/

moth-eaten

mangé par les mites
Meaning
Damaged or worn out, especially by moths or age.
Example
He wore a moth-eaten sweater on the cold day.
Il portait un pull mangé par les mites par une journée froide.
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 /traɪˈsɛkt/

trisect

diviser en trois parties
Meaning
To divide into three parts.
Example
The teacher asked the students to trisect the line segment.
Le professeur a demandé aux élèves de diviser le segment de ligne en trois parties.
C2 noun /ˈnʌnəri/

nunnery

couvent
Meaning
A convent or building where nuns live and work.
Example
She decided to join the nunnery to devote her life to spiritual practice.
Elle a décidé de rejoindre le couvent pour consacrer sa vie à la pratique spirituelle.
C2 noun /ˈfræŋkɪnsɛns/

frankincense

encens
Meaning
An aromatic gum resin used in incense and perfumes, often in religious ceremonies.
Example
The temple was filled with the sweet smell of burning frankincense.
Le temple était rempli de l'odeur douce de l'encens brûlant.
C2 noun /rɪˈmɒnstrəns/

remonstrance

protestation
Meaning
A forceful protest or objection.
Example
The workers’ remonstrance against unfair treatment was ignored.
La protestation des travailleurs contre le traitement injuste a été ignorée.
C2 adjective /ˌdɒktrɪˈnɛər/

doctrinaire

doctrinaire
Meaning
stubbornly devoted to a theory or doctrine without regard to practical considerations
Example
His doctrinaire approach to politics alienated many supporters.
Son approche doctrinaire de la politique a aliéné de nombreux partisans.
C2 noun ˈtɪl.ɪdʒ

tillage

labours agricoles
Meaning
The preparation of land for growing crops.
Example
Excessive tillage can lead to soil erosion.
Un excès de travail du sol peut entraîner de l'érosion.
C2 noun /kəˈdʒoʊləri/

cajolery

flatterie
Meaning
Flattering or coaxing talk intended to persuade someone.
Example
Through cajolery, he convinced his boss to grant him a raise.
Grâce à la flatterie, il convainquit son patron de lui accorder une augmentation.
C2 adverb /ˌðeərˈwɪð/

Therewith

avec cela;
Meaning
together with that; in addition to that
Example
He handed me the contract and the pen therewith.
Il m'a remis le contrat et le stylo avec cela.
C2 noun /ˌriːkruːˈdɛsəns/

recrudescence

recrudescence
Meaning
a new outbreak or revival of something that had subsided, especially an undesirable condition
Example
Health officials warned of a recrudescence of measles in several districts.
Les responsables de la santé ont averti d'une recrudescence de la rougeole dans plusieurs districts.
C2 verb /ɪnˈvaɪərən/

environ

entourer
Meaning
to surround or enclose; to encircle
Example
Mountains environ the small valley.
Les montagnes entourent la petite vallée.
C2 verb /ˈnɔːzieɪt/

nauseate

provoquer des nausées
Meaning
To make someone feel sick, with an inclination to vomit.
Example
The spoiled food nauseated him quickly.
La nourriture avariée l'a rendu nauséeux rapidement.
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 adjective /ˈbrækɪʃ/

brackish

salé
Meaning
Slightly salty, often describing water that is a mix of fresh and seawater.
Example
The river estuary contained brackish water.
L'estuaire du fleuve contenait de l'eau salée.
C2 noun /ˌnɒvəˈlɛt/

novellette

novellette
Meaning
A short novel or long short story.
Example
The author published a novellette as a preview of her upcoming series.
L'auteur a publié une novellette en avant-première de sa prochaine série.
C2 verb /dɪˈpreɪv/

deprave

pervertir
Meaning
to corrupt morally; to make someone immoral or wicked
Example
The novel was criticized for attempting to deprave the minds of young readers.
Le roman a été critiqué pour avoir tenté de pervertir l'esprit des jeunes lecteurs.
C2 noun /ˈdʒæz.mɪn/

Jesmine

jasmin
Meaning
a climbing shrub with fragrant white or yellow flowers
Example
The jasmine flowers filled the garden with their sweet fragrance.
Les fleurs de jasmin remplissaient le jardin de leur douce fragrance.
C2 noun /kəˌrɒbəˈreɪʃən/

corroboration

corroboration
Meaning
evidence that confirms or supports a statement, theory, or finding
Example
The documents provided strong corroboration of her claims.
Les documents ont fourni une forte corroboration de ses affirmations.
C2 verb /ʌpˈhiːv/

upheave

soulever
Meaning
to lift or raise something forcefully; to cause to rise suddenly
Example
The workers had to upheave the heavy stone to clear the path.
Les travailleurs ont dû soulever la grosse pierre pour dégager le chemin.
C2 noun /ˈɪrɪtənsi/

irritancy

irritation
Meaning
the quality or state of causing irritation; legal or formal invalidation
Example
The constant noise became an irritancy to the neighbors.
Le bruit constant est devenu une irritation pour les voisins.
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 noun /ˈjɪərlɪŋ/

yearling

un animal d'un an, surtout un cheval
Meaning
an animal that is one year old, especially a horse
Example
The farmer sold the yearling at the livestock market.
Le fermier a vendu le yearling au marché du bétail.
C2 noun /ˈdʒɒlɪti/

jollity

allégresse
Meaning
lively and cheerful activity or celebration
Example
The wedding was full of jollity and laughter.
Le mariage était plein de joie et de rires.
C2 adjective /prɪˈhɛnsaɪl/

prehensile

préhensile
Meaning
adapted for seizing or grasping, especially by wrapping around an object
Example
The monkey used its prehensile tail to hang from the branch.
Le singe a utilisé sa queue préhensile pour se suspendre à la branche.
C2 noun /fɪˈlæt.əl.ɪst/

philatelist

collectionneur de timbres
Meaning
a person who collects or studies postage stamps
Example
The philatelist spent years building a rare stamp collection.
Le philatéliste a passé des années à constituer une collection rare de timbres.
C2 adjective /ɪˈnɪkwɪtəs/

iniquitous

iniquité
Meaning
grossly unfair and morally wrong
Example
Slavery was one of the most iniquitous practices in history.
L'esclavage était l'une des pratiques les plus iniquitous de l'histoire.
C2 adjective /ˈmɪnsɪŋ/

mincing

affecté
Meaning
affectedly delicate, dainty, or refined in manner or movement
Example
He walked with mincing steps across the stage.
Il marchait avec des pas affectés sur la scène.
C2 adjective /ˈpeɪli/

paly

rayé
Meaning
striped with different colors, usually used in heraldry
Example
The knight’s shield was decorated with paly stripes of red and gold.
Le bouclier du chevalier était décoré de rayures rayées rouges et dorées.
C2 adjective /ˈblaɪðsəm/

blithesome

joyeux
Meaning
cheerful, carefree, and full of joy
Example
She entered the room with a blithesome smile that lifted everyone's spirits.
Elle entra dans la pièce avec un sourire joyeux qui remonta le moral de tout le monde.
C2 noun /əˈluː.vi.əm/

alluvium

alluvion
Meaning
Fertile soil deposited by flowing water, especially in riverbanks.
Example
The alluvium in riverbanks is highly fertile for agriculture.
L'alluvion sur les rives des rivières est très fertile pour l'agriculture.
C2 noun /rɪˈfɛktəri/

refectory

réfectoire
Meaning
a dining hall, especially in a monastery, convent, or school
Example
Students had lunch in the refectory.
Les étudiants ont déjeuné dans le réfectoire.
C2 noun /ˈbɒdɪs/

bodice

corsage
Meaning
the part of a woman's dress that covers the body from the neck to the waist
Example
She wore a dress with an embroidered bodice.
Elle portait une robe avec un corsage brodé.
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 /ɑːmz/

alms

aumône
Meaning
Money, food, or goods given to the poor as charity.
Example
The monk distributed alms to the needy villagers.
Le moine a distribué des aumônes aux pauvres villageois.
C2 noun /ˈkedʒ.ə.riː/

Kedgeree

kedgeree
Meaning
a European dish of cooked rice, fish, and hard-boiled eggs, originally from India
Example
The breakfast menu featured traditional kedgeree with smoked haddock and eggs.
Le menu du petit-déjeuner proposait un kedgeree traditionnel avec du haddock fumé et des œufs.
C2 adjective /ˈeɪkwiəs/

aqueous

aqueux
Meaning
related to or containing water; watery
Example
The solution was in an aqueous form.
La solution était sous forme aqueuse.
C2 noun /ˈɪŋkjʊbəs/

incubus

esprit maléfique
Meaning
An oppressive or nightmarish burden; in folklore, an evil spirit that lies upon sleeping people.
Example
Debt became an incubus that weighed heavily on the family.
La dette est devenue un esprit maléfique qui pesait lourdement sur la famille.
C2 noun /ˈmʌrɪn/

murrain

maladie infectieuse du bétail
Meaning
An infectious disease that affects cattle and other animals, often fatal.
Example
The farmer lost many cows during the outbreak of murrain.
Le fermier a perdu de nombreuses vaches lors de l'épidémie de murrain.
C2 noun /ˈpælɪˌnoʊd/

palinode

palinodie
Meaning
a poem or statement in which the writer retracts something said in an earlier work
Example
The poet wrote a palinode to apologize for his earlier harsh words.
Le poète a écrit une palinodie pour s'excuser de ses paroles sévères précédentes.
C2 adjective /ˈɛstɪməbl/

estimable

estimable
Meaning
Worthy of great respect.
Example
Her estimable achievements inspired the whole community.
Ses réalisations estimables ont inspiré toute la communauté.
C2 noun /ˈaɪ.ərn.wʊd/

Ironwood

bois de fer
Meaning
a hard, dense wood from various trees; also the tree itself that produces small flowers
Example
The ironwood tree blooms with tiny white flowers.
L'arbre de bois de fer fleurit avec de petites fleurs blanches.
C2 verb /pɜːrl/

purl

couler avec un bruit de murmure
Meaning
To knit with a purl stitch; to flow with a murmuring sound (as a stream).
Example
The brook purled softly through the meadow.
Le ruisseau purla doucement à travers la prairie.
C2 noun /ˈiːɒn/ or /ˈiːən/

aeon

éon
Meaning
An indefinitely long period of time; an age or eternity.
Example
Dinosaurs roamed the Earth millions of aeons ago.
Les dinosaures ont parcouru la Terre il y a des millions d'éons.
C2 noun /ˈɛpəʊd/

epode

une forme de poème lyrique
Meaning
A form of lyric poem written in couplets, often following a strophe and antistrophe in classical Greek poetry.
Example
The poet concluded his ode with a striking epode.
Le poète a conclu son ode avec un épode frappant.
C2 noun /ˈθɛspiən/

thespian

acteur
Meaning
An actor or actress; relating to drama or theater.
Example
The festival was filled with talented thespians from across the country.
Le festival était rempli d'acteurs talentueux venus de tout le pays.
C2 adjective /ˈfæn.sɪ.ləs/

fanciless

sans imagination, ordinaire
Meaning
without imagination or creativity; plain or ordinary
Example
His drawings were simple and fanciless.
Ses dessins étaient simples et sans imagination.
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 noun /ˈkʌvən/

coven

un groupe de sorcières
Meaning
a group or gathering of witches
Example
The witches met secretly in a coven in the forest.
Les sorcières se sont réunies secrètement dans un coven dans la forêt.
C2 noun /ˈmɒkəsɪn/

moccasin

mocassin
Meaning
A soft leather shoe, traditionally worn by Native Americans, often made from deerskin.
Example
He slipped on a pair of comfortable moccasins before going outside.
Il a mis des mocassins confortables avant de sortir.
C2 noun /ˈsɒlɪˌsɪzəm/

solecism

solécisme
Meaning
a grammatical mistake in speech or writing; a breach of good manners or etiquette
Example
His speech was full of solecisms and awkward phrases.
Son discours était plein de solécismes et de phrases maladroites.
C2 noun /ˈprɑːflɪɡəsi/

profligacy

dépense excessive
Meaning
reckless wastefulness or extravagance
Example
His profligacy with money led him to bankruptcy.
Sa dépense excessive l'a conduit à la faillite.
C2 noun /ˈleʧ.ər/

Lecher

libidineux
Meaning
a man who behaves in a sexually inappropriate way towards women
Example
The company fired him for being a lecher.
L’entreprise l’a licencié pour avoir été un libidineux.
C2 noun /ˌhaɪdroʊˈfoʊbiə/

hydrophobia

hydrophobie
Meaning
Extreme or irrational fear of water; historically, another name for rabies.
Example
After being bitten by a stray dog, the man was treated for hydrophobia.
Après avoir été mordu par un chien errant, l'homme a été traité pour l'hydrophobie.
C2 adjective /ˈʌndjʊleɪtɪŋ/

undulating

ondulant
Meaning
Having a smoothly rising and falling form or motion like waves.
Example
We drove through undulating hills.
Nous avons conduit à travers des collines ondulantes.
C2 verb /ˈfɒn.dəl/

fondle

caresser
Meaning
To stroke or caress lovingly or gently.
Example
She fondled the kitten gently in her lap.
Elle caressait doucement le chaton dans ses bras.
C2 noun /rɪˈsɪdɪvɪst/

recidivist

récidiviste
Meaning
A person who repeatedly commits crimes, especially after having been punished.
Example
The police identified him as a recidivist who had been arrested several times before.
La police l'a identifié comme un récidiviste qui avait été arrêté plusieurs fois auparavant.
C2 adjective /eɪˈsɛptɪk/

aseptic

sans germes
Meaning
Free from contamination caused by harmful microorganisms; sterile.
Example
Surgeons must work in an aseptic environment to prevent infection.
Les chirurgiens doivent travailler dans un environnement aseptique pour prévenir les infections.
C2 adjective /dɪsˈpɛptɪk/

dyspeptic

dyspepsie, irritable
Meaning
Relating to indigestion or having a gloomy or irritable disposition.
Example
After the heavy meal, he felt dyspeptic and uncomfortable.
Après le repas copieux, il se sentait dyspeptique et mal à l'aise.
C2 verb /ˈædjʊˌleɪt/

adulate

aduler excessivement
Meaning
to praise or flatter excessively
Example
The fans adulated the actor after his performance.
Les fans ont adulé l'acteur après sa performance.
C2 noun /ˈtrʌk.jʊ.ləns/

truculence

agressivité
Meaning
Aggressiveness or eagerness to fight.
Example
His speech was full of truculence and threats.
Son discours était plein d'agressivité et de menaces.
C2 noun /kəˈrɑːləri/

corollary

conséquence directe ou naturelle
Meaning
a direct or natural consequence or result
Example
One corollary of the new policy was increased public awareness.
Une conséquence de la nouvelle politique a été l'augmentation de la sensibilisation du public.
C2 noun /luːn/

lune

croissant
Meaning
A crescent-shaped figure formed by two intersecting arcs; also means 'moon' in French.
Example
The mathematician studied the properties of the lune.
Le mathématicien a étudié les propriétés du croissant.
C2 noun /fiːf/

fief

un terrain de terre détenu sous le système féodal ; un domaine ou une zone de contrôle
Meaning
an estate of land held under the feudal system; a domain or area of control
Example
The knight was granted a fief by the lord for his service.
Le chevalier a reçu un fief du seigneur pour ses services.
C2 noun /ˈsɜːrtɪˌtjuːd/

certitude

certitude
Meaning
Absolute certainty or conviction about something.
Example
She spoke with certitude about the outcome of the case.
Elle a parlé avec certitude du résultat de l'affaire.
C2 noun, adjective /ˈɡɒsəmər/

gossamer

quelque chose de délicat
Meaning
Something light, thin, and delicate, like a fine fabric or cobweb.
Example
The bride's veil was made of delicate gossamer fabric.
Le voile de la mariée était fait de tissu délicat de gossamer.
C2 noun /ˈmaʊntɪˌbæŋk/

mountebank

charlatan
Meaning
A charlatan or trickster who deceives others, often for personal gain.
Example
The crowd was fooled by the mountebank’s false promises.
La foule a été trompée par les fausses promesses du charlatan.
C2 adjective /bɪˈwɪtʃɪŋ/

bewitching

ensorcelant
Meaning
charming, enchanting, or captivating in a magical or irresistible way
Example
She wore a bewitching smile that captivated everyone in the room.
Elle portait un sourire ensorcelant qui a captivé tout le monde dans la pièce.
C2 verb /əˈbreɪd/

abrade

usiner par friction
Meaning
to scrape or wear away the surface by friction or erosion
Example
The rough cloth can easily abrade the skin.
Le tissu rugueux peut facilement user la peau.
C2 noun /ˌlɛksɪˈkɒɡrəfi/

lexicography

lexicographie
Meaning
The art or practice of compiling dictionaries.
Example
Lexicography requires both linguistic and cultural knowledge.
La lexicographie nécessite à la fois des connaissances linguistiques et culturelles.
C2 noun /rɪˈpæst/

repast

repas
Meaning
A meal or the food eaten during a meal.
Example
They enjoyed a delicious repast by the riverside.
Ils ont apprécié un délicieux repas au bord de la rivière.
C2 adjective /fluːˈɛnʃəl/

fluential

influent
Meaning
Having the power to influence or flowing freely (rare/archaic usage).
Example
The fluential speaker captivated the entire audience.
Le locuteur influent a captivé toute l'audience.
C2 verb /kənˈvʌls/

convulse

secouer violemment; souffrir de contractions involontaires soudaines
Meaning
to shake violently; to suffer sudden involuntary contractions
Example
The patient convulsed during the seizure.
Le patient a convulsé pendant la crise.
C2 noun /ˈdæl.i.əns/

Dalliance

flirt; aventure; liaison éphémère
Meaning
a casual romantic or sexual relationship; a brief involvement or experiment
Example
His dalliance with photography lasted only a few months before he lost interest.
Son flirt avec la photographie n'a duré que quelques mois avant qu'il perde de l'intérêt.
C2 adjective /heɪl/

hale

vital
Meaning
strong and healthy, especially of an elderly person
Example
Despite his age, the man remained hale and active.
Malgré son âge, l'homme est resté en bonne santé et actif.
C2 noun /pəˈlæv.ər/

palaver

discussion inutile / agitation
Meaning
prolonged and idle discussion; fuss or unnecessary talk
Example
After much palaver, they finally agreed on the plan.
Après beaucoup de discussion inutile, ils ont finalement accepté le plan.
C2 noun /ˈænɪməs/

animus

hostilité / but
Meaning
A strong feeling of hostility; motivation or purpose behind an action.
Example
His speech was driven by animus against the policy.
Son discours était motivé par l'hostilité envers la politique.
C2 verb /lɪr/

leer

regard lubrique
Meaning
To look at someone in an unpleasant, sly, or sexually suggestive way.
Example
He leered at her in a way that made her uncomfortable.
Il l'a regardée d'une manière qui l'a rendue mal à l'aise.
C2 noun ˌpɜː.pɪˈtʃuː.ɪ.ti

perpetuity

perpétuité, éternité, continuité
Meaning
Permanence, eternity, continuity.
Example
The contract ensures payments in perpetuity.
Le contrat garantit des paiements en perpétuité.
C2 noun /nɪt/

nit

œuf de pou
Meaning
The egg or young form of a louse or other parasitic insect.
Example
The teacher noticed nits in the child’s hair.
L'enseignant a remarqué des œufs de pou dans les cheveux de l'enfant.
C2 verb /ˌɪntərˈmɪt/

intermit

interrompre
Meaning
To suspend or stop for a time; to pause intermittently.
Example
The rain would intermit and then start again.
La pluie s'interromprait puis recommencerait.
C2 adjective /sɪmˈfoʊniəs/

symphonious

harmonieux
Meaning
Harmonious; producing a pleasant sound or agreement of sound.
Example
The choir's voices were symphonious and filled the hall with beauty.
Les voix du chœur étaient harmonieuses et remplissaient la salle de beauté.
C2 noun /ˈpɒl.iˌθi.ɪz.əm/

polytheism

polythéisme
Meaning
the belief in or worship of multiple gods
Example
Ancient Greeks practiced polytheism, worshiping gods like Zeus and Athena.
Les anciens Grecs pratiquaient le polythéisme, en adorant des dieux comme Zeus et Athéna.
C2 adjective /ˈpɛndjʊləs/

pendulous

bonheur
Meaning
hanging down loosely; drooping
Example
The pendulous fruit weighed down the branch.
Elle ne pouvait cacher son bonheur lorsqu'elle reçut le prix.
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 noun /ˈbuːbi/

booby

idiot
Meaning
a foolish or gullible person; a silly individual
Example
He felt like a booby after making such a simple mistake.
Il s'est senti idiot après avoir fait une erreur si simple.
C2 noun /əˌɡlɒməˈreɪʃən/

agglomeration

agglomération
Meaning
A mass or collection of things, sometimes clustered together.
Example
The city is an agglomeration of diverse cultures and communities.
La ville est une agglomération de cultures et de communautés diverses.
C2 noun /ˌmɒnəˈmeɪniə/

monomania

monomanie
Meaning
Excessive concentration or obsession with a single subject or idea.
Example
His monomania for collecting stamps worried his family.
Sa monomanie pour collectionner des timbres inquiétait sa famille.
C2 adjective /prəˈtuːbərənt/

protuberant

proéminent
Meaning
Sticking out or bulging.
Example
His protuberant belly showed after the meal.
Son ventre proéminent est apparu après le repas.
C2 noun /ˈræp.aɪn/

rapine

pillages
Meaning
the violent seizure of someone's property
Example
The war was marked by rapine and destruction.
La guerre a été marquée par des pillages et des destructions.
C2 noun /ˈdɔːrmər/

dormer

fenêtre mansardée
Meaning
A window that projects vertically from a sloping roof.
Example
The old house had a dormer overlooking the garden.
La vieille maison avait une fenêtre mansardée donnant sur le jardin.
C2 adjective /ˈfæl.oʊ/

fallow

jachère
Meaning
Describing land that is left unplanted for a period to restore its fertility, allowing soil to recover nutrients and break pest and disease cycles.
Example
Farmers leave their fields fallow to restore soil fertility.
Les agriculteurs laissent leurs champs en jachère pour restaurer la fertilité du sol.
C2 adjective /ˈɪm.pi.əs/

Impious

impie; blasphématoire
Meaning
irreligious; lacking reverence for religion; blasphemous
Example
The impious act shocked the religious community.
L'acte impie a choqué la communauté religieuse.
C2 noun /hɒtʃ pɒtʃ/

Hotch potch

pot-au-feu
Meaning
A mixed dish; a hodgepodge of ingredients cooked together
Example
She made a delicious hotch potch with rice, lentils, and vegetables.
Elle a préparé un délicieux hôtch potch avec du riz, des lentilles et des légumes.
C2 verb /drəˈɡuːn/

dragoon

forcer
Meaning
to force someone to do something through coercion or intimidation
Example
The manager tried to dragoon the team into working overtime.
Le manager a essayé de forcer l'équipe à faire des heures supplémentaires.
C2 adjective /ˌseɪpiˈɛnʃəl/

sapiential

relatif à la sagesse
Meaning
Relating to wisdom or knowledge, often in a religious or philosophical sense.
Example
The monk shared sapiential teachings with his students.
Le moine a partagé des enseignements relatifs à la sagesse avec ses étudiants.
C2 noun /ˌdɪspjuːˈteɪʃən/

disputation

dispute
Meaning
a formal debate or argument
Example
The disputation between the two scholars lasted for hours.
La disputation entre les deux érudits a duré des heures.
C2 noun /fɪˈlɒl.ə.dʒi/

philology

l'étude de la langue dans les sources historiques écrites ; linguistique
Meaning
the study of language in written historical sources; linguistics
Example
She devoted her career to philology, researching ancient manuscripts.
Elle a consacré sa carrière à la philologie, en recherchant des manuscrits anciens.
C2 noun /ʃɪˈkeɪnəri/

chicanery

tromperie
Meaning
The use of trickery or deception to achieve a purpose.
Example
The politician was accused of chicanery to win the election.
Le politicien a été accusé de tromperie pour gagner l'élection.