Paroles francaises

Internationally used French phrases
English has borrowed thousands and thousands of French terms in the course of the las thousand years. The greatest part of them were assimilated, while a few, mainly specific expressions or idioms, were preserved in their original form. Here is a list of some 420 French phrases used in modern English.

• à bas [F] (ca. 1897): down with <a bas the profiteers.
• à bientôt [F] foreign term : so long.
• à bon chat, bon rat [F] foreign term : to a good cat, a good rat: retaliation in kind.
• à bouche ouverte [F] foreign term : with open mouth: eagerly: uncritically.
• à bras ouverts [F] foreign term : with open arms: cordially.
• à cheval adv [F, lit., on horseback] (1832) 1: with a leg on each side: astride 2: in such a way as to be played or chanced simultaneously on two numbers or events (as in roulette).
• à compte [F] foreign term : on account.
• à coup sûr [F] foreign term : with sure stroke: surely.
• à deux adj [F] (1886): involving two people esp. in private a deux.
• à deux adv (1927): privately or intimately with only two present a deux.
• à droite [F] foreign term : to or on the right hand.
• à gauche [F] foreign term : to or on the left hand.
• à grands frais [F] foreign term : at great expense.
• à huis clos [F] foreign term : with closed doors.
• à la belle étoile [F] foreign term : under the beautiful star: in the open air at night.
• à la bonne heure [F] foreign term : at a good time: well and good: all right.
• à la carte adv or adj [F, by the bill of fare] (1826): according to a menu that prices each item separately.
• à la française [F] foreign term : in the French manner.
• à la grecque adj, often cap G [F, in the Greek manner] (ca. 1925): served in a sauce made of olive oil, lemon juice, and several seasonings (as fennel, coriander, sage, and thyme).
• à la mode adj [F, according to the fashion] (1650) 1: fashionable, stylish 2: topped with ice cream.
• à la page [F] foreign term : at the page: up-to-the-minute.
• à la prep [F a la] (1589): in the manner of.
• à la russe [F] foreign term : in the Russian manner.
• à l'abandon [F] foreign term : carelessly: in disorder.
• à l'américaine [F] foreign term : in the American manner: of the American kind.
• à l'anglaise [F] foreign term : in the English manner.
• à l'improviste [F] foreign term : unexpectedly.
• à merveille [F] foreign term : marvelously.
• à outrance adv [F] (1883): to the limit: unsparingly.
• à pied [F] foreign term : on foot.
• à propos de bottes [F] foreign term : apropos of boots--used to change the subject.
• à propos de rien [F] foreign term : apropos of nothing.
• à tort et à travers [F] foreign term : wrong and crosswise: at random: without rhyme or reason.
• à tort et à travers [F] foreign term : wrong and crosswise: at random: without rhyme or reason.
• à votre santé [F] foreign term : to your health--used as a toast.
• aide-de-camp n, pl aides-de-camp [F aide de camp, lit., camp assistant] (1670): a military aid; also: a civilian aide usu. to an executive.
• aide-toi, le ciel t'aidera [F] foreign term : help yourself (and) heaven will help you.
• ami de cour [F] foreign term : court friend: insincere friend.
• amour propre n [F amour-propre, lit., love of oneself] (1775): self-esteem.
• après moi le déluge or après nous le déluge [F] foreign term : after me the deluge--attributed to Louis XV.
• art nouveau n, often cap A&N [F, lit., new art] (1908): a design style of late 19th century origin characterized esp. by sinuous lines and foliate forms.
• au bout de son latin [F] foreign term : at the end of one's Latin: at the end of one's mental resources.
• au contraire [F] foreign term : on the contrary.
• au courant adj [F, lit., in the current] (1762) 1 a: fully informed: up-to-date b: fashionable, stylish 2: fully familiar: conversant.
• au fait [F] foreign term : to the point: fully competent: fully informed: socially correct.
• au fond [F] foreign term : at bottom: fundamentally.
• au grand sérieux [F] foreign term : in all seriousness.
• au gratin adj [F, lit., with the burnt scrapings from the pan] (1806): covered with bread crumbs or grated cheese and browned (as under a broiler).
• au jus adj [F, lit., with juice] (ca. 1919) of meat: served in the juice obtained from roasting.
• au mieux [F] foreign term : on the best terms: on intimate terms.
• au naturel adj [F] (1817) 1: cooked or served plainly 2 a: being in natural style or condition b: nude.
• au pair n, pl au pairs [F, on even terms] (1960): a usu. young foreign person who does domestic work for a family in return for room and board and the opportunity to learn the family's language.
• au pays des aveugles les borgnes sont rois [F] foreign term : in the country of the blind the one-eyed men are kings.
• au poivre adj [F, with pepper] (1971): prepared or served with a generous amount of usu. coarsely ground black pepper: steak au poivre.
• au reste [F] foreign term : for the rest: besides.
• au revoir n [F, lit., till seeing again] (1694): good-bye--often used interjectionally.
• au sérieux [F] foreign term : seriously.
• aussitôt dit, aussitôt fait [F] foreign term : no sooner said than done.
• autres temps, autres moeurs [F] foreign term : other times, other customs.
• aux armes [F] foreign term : to arms.
• avant adj [F avant- fore-, front, fr. avant before, fr. L abante] (1965): culturally or stylistically advanced: avant-garde <~ jazz.
• avant la lettre [F] foreign term : before the letter: before a (specified) name existed.
• avant-garde adj (1925): of or relating to an avant-garde <~ writers.
• avant-garde n [F, vanguard] (1910): an intelligentsia that develops new or experimental concepts esp. in the arts -- avant-gardism n -- avant-gardist n.
• avant-propos [F] foreign term : preface.
• beau geste n, pl beaux gestes or beau gestes [F, lit., beautiful gesture] (1914) 1: a graceful or magnanimous gesture 2: an ingratiating conciliatory gesture.
• beau ideal n, pl beau ideals [F beau ideal ideal beauty] (1809): the perfect type or model.
• beau monde n, pl beau mondes or beaux mondes [F, lit., fine world] (1673): the world of high society and fashion.
• beau monde n, pl beau mondes or beaux mondes [F, lit., fine world] (1673): the world of high society and fashion.
• beau n, pl beaux or beaus [F, fr. beau beautiful, fr. L bellus pretty] (1684) 1: dandy 1 2: boyfriend 2.
• beaucoup adj [F] (1918) slang: great in quantity or amount: many, much
• beaux arts n pl [F beaux-arts] (1821): fine arts.
• beaux yeux [F] foreign term : beautiful eyes: beauty of face.
• beche-de-mer n [F, alter. of biche de mer, fr. Pg bicho do mar, lit., sea worm] (1783) 1 pl beche-de-mer or beches-de-mer : trepang 2 cap B&M: any of several English-based pidgins spoken on islands of the western Pacific.
• belle n [F, fr. fem. of beau beautiful--more at beau] (1622): a popular and attractive girl or woman; esp: a girl or woman whose charm and beauty make her a favorite
• belle epoque n, often cap B&E [F, lit., beautiful age] (1954): a period of high artistic or cultural development; esp: such a period in fin de siecle France.
• belle laide [F] foreign term : beautiful ugly woman: woman who is attractive though not conventionally beautiful.
• belles lettres n pl but sing in constr [F, lit., fine letters] (1710): literature that is an end in itself and not merely informative; specif: light, entertaining, and often sophisticated literature.
• bete noire n, pl betes noires [F, lit., black beast] (1844): a person or thing strongly detested or avoided: bugbear.
• beurre blanc n [F, lit., white butter] (1931): a hot butter sauce (as for fish) flavored with vinegar or lemon juice.
• beurre noir n [F, lit., black butter] (1856): butter heated until brown or black and often flavored with vinegar or lemon juice.
• bien entendu [F] foreign term : well understood: of course.
• bien vu [F] foreign term : well regarded.
• bien-pensant [F] foreign term : right-minded: one who holds orthodox views.
• billet-doux n, pl billets-doux [F billet doux, lit., sweet letter] (1673): a love letter.
• blanc fixe n [F, lit., fixed white] (1866): barium sulfate prepared as a heavy white powder and used esp. as a filler in paper, rubber, and linoleum or as a pigment.
• bois d'arc n, pl bois d'arcs or bois d'arc [AmerF, lit., bow wood] (1805): osage orange; also: its wood.
• bon appétit [F] foreign term : good appetite: enjoy your meal.
• bon gré, mal gré [F] foreign term : whether with good grace or bad: willy-nilly.
• bon mot n, pl bons mots or bon mots [F, lit., good word] (ca. 1730): a clever remark: witticism.
• bon ton n [F, lit., good tone] (1747) 1 a: fashionable manner or style b: the fashionable or proper thing 2: high society.
• bon vivant n, pl bons vivants or bon vivants [F, lit., good liver] (ca. 1695): a person having cultivated, refined, and sociable tastes esp. in respect to food and drink.
• bon voyage n [F, lit., good journey]] (15c): farewell--often used interjectionally.
• bonne foi [F] foreign term : good faith.
• bonne n [F, fr. fem. of bon] (1771): a French nursemaid or maidservant.
• Bouvier des Flandres n [F, lit., cowherd of Flanders] (1929): any of a breed of large powerfully built rough-coated dogs of Belgian origin used esp. for herding and in guard work--called also Bouvier.
• bric-a-brac n, pl bric-a-brac [F bric-a-brac] (1840) 1: a miscellaneous collection of small articles commonly of ornamental or sentimental value: curios 2: something suggesting bric-a-brac esp. in extraneous decorative quality.
• ça va sans dire [F] foreign term : it goes without saying.
• cafe au lait n [F, coffee with milk] (1763) 1: coffee with usu. hot milk in about equal parts 2: the color of coffee with milk.
• cafe noir n [F, black coffee] (1841): coffee without milk or cream; also: demitasse.
• capable de tout [F] foreign term : capable of anything: unpredictable.
• carte blanche n, pl cartes blanches [F, lit., blank document] (1754): full discretionary power carte blanche to furnish the house.
• carte d'identité [F] foreign term : identity card.
• carte du jour n, pl cartes du jour [F, lit., card of the day] (1936): menu.
• ce n'est que le premier pas qui coûte [F] foreign term : it is only the first step that costs.
• c'est-à-dire [F] foreign term : that is to say: namely.
• c'est autre chose [F] foreign term : that's a different thing.
• c'est la guerre [F] foreign term : that's war: it cannot be helped.
• c'est la vie [F] foreign term : that's life: that's how things happen.
• c'est plus qu'un crime, c'est une faute [F] foreign term : it is worse than a crime, it is a blunder.
• chacun à son goût [F] foreign term : everyone to his taste.
• chanson de geste n, pl chansons de geste [F, lit., song of heroic deeds] (1868): any of several Old French epic poems of the 11th to the 13th centuries.
• charge d'affaires n, pl charges d'affaires [F, lit., one charged with affairs] (1767) 1: a subordinate diplomat who substitutes for an absent ambassador or minister 2: a diplomat inferior in rank to an ambassador or minister who heads a mission when no ambassador or minister is assigned.
• château en Espagne [F] foreign term : castle in Spain: a visionary project.
• chemin de fer n, pl chemins de fer [F, lit., railroad] (1891): a card game in which two hands are dealt, any number of players may bet against the dealer, and the winning hand is the one that comes closer to but does not exceed a count of nine on two or three cards.
• cherchez la femme [F] foreign term : look for the woman.
• cheval de bataille [F] foreign term : war-horse: argument constantly relied on: favorite subject.
• cheval glass n [F cheval horse, support] (1828): a full-length mirror in a frame in which it may be tilted.
• cheval-de-frise n, pl chevaux-de-frise [F, lit., horse from Friesland] (1668) 1: a defense consisting of a timber or an iron barrel covered with projecting spikes and often strung with barbed wire 2: a protecting line (as of spikes) on top of a wall--usu. used in pl.
• chic n [F] (1856) 1: smart elegance and sophistication esp. of dress or manner: style 2: a distinctive mode of dress or manner associated with a fashionable lifestyle, ideology, or pursuit.
• ci-devant adj [F, lit., formerly] (1790): former.
• ci-gît [F] foreign term : here lies--used preceding a name on a tombstone.
• cinéma vérité n [F cinema-verite, lit., cinema-truth, trans. of Russ kinopravda] (1963): the art or technique of filming a motion picture so as to convey candid realism.
• comme ci, comme ça [F] foreign term : so-so.
• comme il faut adj [F, lit., as it should be] (1756): conforming to accepted standards: proper.
• compagnon de voyage [F] foreign term : traveling companion.
• concours d'elegance n [F concours d'elegance, lit., competition of elegance] (1950): a show or contest of vehicles and accessories in which the entries are judged chiefly on excellence of appearance and turnout.
• coq au vin n [F, cock with wine] (ca. 1938): chicken cooked in usu. red wine.
• corps de ballet n, pl corps de ballet [F] (1826): the ensemble of a ballet company.
• corps d'elite n, pl corps d'elite [F corps d'elite] (1884) 1: a body of picked troops 2: a group of the best people in a category.
• coup de grace n, pl coups de grace [F coup de grace, lit., stroke of mercy] (1699) 1: a death blow or shot administered to end the suffering of one mortally wounded 2: a decisive finishing blow, act, or event.
• coup de main n, pl coups de main [F, lit., hand stroke] (1758): a sudden attack in force.
• coup de maître [F] foreign term : masterstroke.
• coup de theatre n, pl coups de theatre [F coup de theatre, lit., stroke of theater] (1747) 1: a sudden sensational turn in a play; also: a sudden dramatic effect or turn of events 2: a theatrical success.
• coup d'essai [F] foreign term : experiment: trial.
• coup d'etat n, pl coups d'etat [F, lit., stroke of state] (1646): a sudden decisive exercise of force in politics; esp: the violent overthrow or alteration of an existing government by a small group.
• coup d'oeil n, pl coups d'oeil [F, lit., stroke of the eye] (1739): a brief survey: glance.
• coup n, pl coups [F, blow, stroke--more at cope] (1791) 1: a brilliant, sudden, and usu. highly successful stroke or act 2: coup d'etat.
• coureur de bois n, pl coureurs de bois [CanF, lit., woods runner] (1700): a French or metis trapper of North America and esp. of Canada.
• coûte que coûte [F] foreign term : cost what it may.
• creme anglaise n [F, lit., English cream] (1975): a vanilla-flavored custard sauce usu. served with desserts.
• creme brulee n [F, lit., scorched cream] (1886): a rich custard topped with caramelized sugar.
• creme caramel n [F, lit., caramel cream] (1906): a custard that has been baked with caramel sauce.
• creme de cacao n [F, lit., cream of cacao] (1904): a sweet brown or colorless liqueur flavored with cacao beans and vanilla.
• creme de cacao n [F, lit., cream of cacao] (1904): a sweet brown or colorless liqueur flavored with cacao beans and vanilla.
• creme de la creme n [F, lit., cream of the cream] (1848): the very best.
• creme de menthe n [F, lit., cream of mint] (1901): a sweet green or colorless mint-flavored liqueur.
• creme fraiche n [F, lit., fresh cream] (1950): heavy cream thickened and slightly soured with buttermilk and often served on fruit.
• cri de coeur n, pl cris de coeur [F, lit., cry from the heart] (1904): a passionate outcry (as of appeal or protest).
• crise de conscience [F] foreign term : crisis of conscience: agonizing period of moral uncertainty.
• crise de nerfs or crise des nerfs [F] foreign term : crisis of nerves: nervous collapse: hysterical fit.
• Croix de Guerre n [F, lit., war cross] (1915): a French military decoration awarded for gallant action in war.
• cul-de-sac n, pl culs-de-sac also cul-de-sacs [F, lit., bottom of the bag] (1738) 1: a blind diverticulum or pouch 2: a street or passage closed at one end 3: blind alley.
• d'accord [F] foreign term : in accord: agreed.
• dame d'honneur [F] foreign term : lady-in-waiting.
• de bonne grâce [F] foreign term : with good grace: willingly.
• de haut en bas adj or adv [F, lit., from top to bottom] (1696): of superiority: of or with condescension.
• de l'audace, encore de l'audace, et toujours de l'audace [F] foreign term : audacity, more audacity, and ever more audacity.
• de mal en pis [F] foreign term : from bad to worse.
• de nos jours [F] foreign term : of our time: contemporary--used postpositively esp. after a proper name.
• de trop adj [F] (1752): too much or too many: superfluous.
• deja vu n [F, adj., lit., already seen] (1903) 1 a: the illusion of remembering scenes and events when experienced for the first time b: a feeling that one has seen or heard something before 2: something overly or unpleasantly familiar.
• demimondaine n [F demi-mondaine, fr. fem. of demi-mondain, fr. demi-monde] (1894): a woman of the demimonde.
• demimonde n [F demi-monde, fr. demi- + monde world, fr. L mundus] (1855) 1 a: a class of women on the fringes of respectable society supported by wealthy lovers b: prostitutes 2: demimondaine 3: a distinctive class, group, or activity that is often an isolated part of a larger class, group, or activity esp: one having little reputation or prestige.
• demitasse n [F demi-tasse, fr. demi- + tasse cup, fr. MF, fr. Ar tass, fr. Per tast] (1842): a small cup of black coffee; also: the cup used to serve it.
• dernier cri n [F, lit., last cry] (1896): the newest fashion.
• Dieu et mon droit [F] foreign term : God and my right--motto on the British royal arms.
• Dieu vous garde [F] foreign term : God keep you.
• droit du seigneur n [F, right of the lord] (1825): a supposed legal or customary right of a feudal lord to have sexual relations with a vassal's bride on her wedding night.
• du jour adj [F, lit., of the day] (1969): made for a particular day--used of an item not specified on the regular menu du jour.
• d'un certain âge [F] foreign term : of a certain age: no longer young.
• eau de cologne n, pl eaux de cologne [F, lit., Cologne water, fr. Cologne, Germany] (1802): cologne.
• eau-de-vie n, pl eaux-de-vie [F, lit., water of life, trans. of ML aqua vitae] (1748): a clear brandy distilled from the fermented juice of fruit (as pears or raspberries).
• eclair n [F, lit., lightning] (1861): a usu. chocolate-frosted oblong light pastry with whipped cream or custard filling.
• écrasez l'infâme [F] foreign term : crush the infamous thing.
• embarras de choix or embarras du choix [F] foreign term : embarrassing variety of choice.
• embarras de richesses or embarras de richesse [F] foreign term : embarrassing surplus of riches: confusing abundance.
• en ami [F] foreign term : as a friend.
• en banc adv or adj [F, on the bench] (1863): in full court: with full judiciary authority.
• en bloc adv or adj [F] (1861): as a whole: in a mass.
• en brochette adj [F] (ca. 1909) of food: cooked or served on a skewer en brochette.
• en clair adv or adj [F, in clear] (ca. 1897): in plain language en clair.
• en effet [F] foreign term : in fact: indeed.
• en famille [F] foreign term : in or with one's family: at home: informally.
• enfant chéri [F] foreign term : loved or pampered child: one that is highly favored
• enfant gâté [F] foreign term : spoiled child
• enfant terrible n, pl enfants terribles [F, lit., terrifying child] (1851) 1 a: a child whose inopportune remarks cause embarrassment b: a person known for shocking remarks or outrageous behavior 2: a usu. young and successful person who is strikingly unorthodox, innovative, or avant-garde.
• en garçon [F] foreign term : as or like a bachelor.
• en garde [F] foreign term : on guard.
• en masse adv [F] (1795): in a body: as a whole.
• en pantoufles [F] foreign term : in slippers: at ease: informally.
• en passant adv [F] (1665) 1: in passing 2--used in chess of the capture of a pawn as it makes a first move of two squares by an enemy pawn that threatens the first of these squares.
• en plein air [F] foreign term : in the open air.
• en plein jour [F] foreign term : in broad day.
• en poste [F] foreign term : in a diplomatic post.
• en prise adj [F, lit., engaged, within grasp] (1899) of a chess piece: exposed to capture.
• en règle [F] foreign term : in order: in due form.
• en retraite [F] foreign term : in retreat: in retirement.
• en revanche [F] foreign term : in return: in compensation.
• en route adv or adj [F] (1779): on or along the way en route en route delays.
• en secondes noces [F] foreign term : in a second marriage.
• en suite adv or adj [F] (1818): so as to form a suite: connected en suite; also: so as to make a matching set.
• épater le bourgeois or épater les bourgeois [F] foreign term : to shock the middle classes.
• esprit n [F, fr. L spiritus spirit] (1591) 1: vivacious cleverness or wit 2: esprit de corps.
• esprit de corps n [F] (1780): the common spirit existing in the members of a group and inspiring enthusiasm, devotion, and strong regard for the honor of the group.
• esprit de l'escalier or esprit d'escalier [F] foreign term : wit of the staircase: repartee thought of only too late, on the way home.
• esprit de l'escalier or esprit d'escalier [F] foreign term : wit of the staircase: repartee thought of only too late, on the way home.
• explication de texte n, pl explications de texte [F, lit., explanation of text] (1935): a method of literary criticism involving a detailed analysis of a work.
• façon de parler [F] foreign term : manner of speaking: figurative or conventional expression.
• faire suivre [F] foreign term : have forwarded: please forward.
• fait accompli n, pl faits accomplis [F, accomplished fact] (1845): a thing accomplished and presumably irreversible.
• famille rose n [F, lit., rose family] (ca. 1898): Chinese porcelain in the decoration of which a rose color predominates.
• famille verte n [F, lit., green family] (1872): Chinese porcelain in the decoration of which green predominates.
• faute de mieux adv [F] (1766): for lack of something better or more desirable faute de mieux --F. T. Marsh.
• faux pas n, pl faux pas [F, lit., false step] (1676): blunder; esp: a social blunder.
• femme also fem n [prob. fr. F femme woman, fr. L femina] (1958): a lesbian who plays the female role in a homosexual relationship.
• femme de chambre [F] foreign term : chambermaid: lady's maid.
• femme fatale n, pl femmes fatales [F, lit., disastrous woman] (1912) 1: a seductive woman who lures men into dangerous or compromising situations 2: a woman who attracts men by an aura of charm and mystery.
• fer-de-lance n, pl fer-de-lance [F, lit., lance iron, spearhead] (1880): a large extremely venomous pit viper (Bothrops atrox) of Central and So. America.
• feux d'artifice [F] foreign term : fireworks: display of wit.
• fille de chambre [F] foreign term : lady's maid.
• fille d'honneur [F] foreign term : maid of honor.
• film noir n [F, lit., black film] (1958): a type of crime film featuring cynical malevolent characters in a sleazy setting and an ominous atmosphere that is conveyed by shadowy photography and foreboding background music; also: a film of this type.
• fils [F] foreign term : son--used orig. after French and now also after other family names to distinguish a son from his father.
• fin de siecle adj [F, end of the century] (1890): of, relating to, or characteristic of the close of the 19th century and esp. its literary and artistic climate of sophistication, world-weariness, and fashionable despair.
• fleur de coin adj [F a fleur de coin, lit., with the bloom of the die] (ca. 1889): being in the preserved mint condition.
• folie a deux n [F, lit., double madness] (ca. 1892): the presence of the same or similar delusional ideas in two persons closely associated with one another.
• folie de grandeur or folie des grandeurs [F] foreign term : delusion of greatness: megalomania.
• force de frappe [F] foreign term : military striking force esp. with nuclear weapons.
• garçon d'honneur [F] foreign term : bridegroom's attendant.
• garcon n, pl garcons [F, boy, servant, fr. OF, of Gmc origin; akin to OHG hrechjo fugitive] (1788): waiter.
• garde du corps [F] foreign term : bodyguard.
• gens de guerre [F] foreign term : military people: soldiery.
• gens d'église [F] foreign term : church people: clergy.
• gens du monde [F] foreign term : people of the world: fashionable people.
• goût de terroir [F] foreign term : taste of the earth.
• grand mal n [F, lit., great illness] (1897): severe epilepsy.
• grand monde [F] foreign term : great world: high society.
• grand prix n, pl grand prix also grands prix often cap G&P [F Grand Prix de Paris, an international horse race established 1863, lit., grand prize of Paris] (1863) 1: the highest level of international equestrian competition; also: a contest at this level 2: one of a series of international formula car races.
• grande dame n, pl grandes dames also grande dames [F, lit., great lady] (1775): a usu. elderly woman of great prestige or ability.
• grande école [F] foreign term : great school: French institution of higher education for postbaccalaureate professional or technological training.
• guerre à outrance [F] foreign term : war to the uttermost.
• haut goût [F] foreign term : high flavor: slight taint of decay.
• haut monde also haute monde n [F, lit., high world] (1864): high society.
• haute couture n [F, lit., high sewing] (1908): the houses or designers that create exclusive and often trend-setting fashions for women; also: the fashions created.
• homme d'affaires [F] foreign term : man of business: business agent.
• homme d'esprit [F] foreign term : man of wit.
• homme moyen sensuel [F] foreign term : the average nonintellectual man.
• honi soit qui mal y pense [F] foreign term : shamed be he who thinks evil of it--motto of the Order of the Garter.
• honnête homme [F] foreign term : honest man: respectable and honorable citizen of the middle class.
• hors commerce [F] foreign term : outside the trade: not offered through regular commercial channels.
• hors de combat adv or adj [F] (1757): out of combat: disabled.
• hors d'oeuvre n, pl hors d'oeuvres also hors d'oeuvre [F hors-d'oeuvre, lit., outside of the work] (1714): any of various savory foods usu. served as appetizers.
• ici on parle français [F] foreign term : French is spoken here.
• il faut cultiver notre jardin [F] foreign term : we must cultivate our garden: we must tend to our own affairs.
• ils ne passeront pas [F] foreign term : they shall not get past.
• j'accuse [F] foreign term : I accuse: bitter denunciation.
• j'adoube [F] foreign term : I adjust--used in chess when touching a piece without intending to move it.
• je maintiendrai [F] foreign term : I will maintain--motto of the Netherlands.
• je ne sais quoi n [F, lit., I know not what] (ca. 1656): something that cannot be adequately described or expressed.
• jeu de mots [F] foreign term : play on words: pun.
• jeu d'esprit n, pl jeux d'esprit [F, lit., play of the mind] (1712): a witty comment or composition.
• joie de vivre n [F, lit., joy of living] (1889): keen or buoyant enjoyment of life.
• jolie laide [F] foreign term : good-looking ugly woman: woman who is attractive though not conventionally pretty.
• j'y suis, j'y reste [F] foreign term : here I am, here I remain.
• la belle dame sans merci [F] foreign term : the beautiful lady without mercy.
• la reine le veut [F] foreign term : the queen wills it.
• laisser-faire chiefly Brit var of laissez-faire.
• laisser-passer chiefly Brit var of laissez-passer.
• laissez-aller or laisser-aller [F] foreign term : letting go: lack of restraint.
• laissez-faire n [F laissez faire, imper. of laisser faire to let (people) do (as they choose)] (1825) 1: a doctrine opposing governmental interference in economic affairs beyond the minimum necessary for the maintenance of peace and property rights 2: a philosophy or practice characterized by a usu. deliberate abstention from direction or interference esp. with individual freedom of choice and action.
• laissez-passer n [F, fr. laissez passer let (someone) pass] (1914): permit, pass.
• le coeur a ses raisons que la raison ne connaît point [F] foreign term : the heart has its reasons that reason knows nothing of.
• le roi est mort, vive le roi [F] foreign term : the king is dead, long live the king.
• le roi le veut [F] foreign term : the king wills it.
• le roi s'avisera [F] foreign term : the king will consider.
• le style, c'est l'homme [F] foreign term : the style is the man.
• lese-majeste or lese majesty n [MF lese majeste, fr. L laesa majestas, lit., injured majesty] (1536) 1 a: a crime (as treason) committed against a sovereign power b: an offense violating the dignity of a ruler as the representative of a sovereign power 2: a detraction from or affront to dignity or importance.
• l'état, c'est moi [F] foreign term : the state, it is I.
• l'étoile du nord [F] foreign term : the star of the north--motto of Minnesota.
• loup-garou n, pl loups-garous [MF, fr. OF leu garoul, fr. leu (fr. L lupus) wolf + garoul werewolf, of Gmc origin; akin to OHG werwolf werewolf] (ca. 1580): werewolf.
• l'union fait la force [F] foreign term : union makes strength--motto of Belgium.
• maison de santé [F] foreign term : private hospital: asylum.
• maitre d' n, pl maitre d's (1950): maitre d'hotel.
• maitre d'hotel n, pl maitres d'hotel [F, lit., master of house] (1538) 1 a: majordomo b: headwaiter 2: a sauce of butter, parsley, salt, pepper, and lemon juice--called also maitre d'hotel butter.
• mal de mer n [F] (1778): seasickness.
• mal vu [F] foreign term : badly regarded: disapproved of.
• mariage de convenance [F] foreign term : marriage of convenience.
• mauvais quart d'heure [F] foreign term : bad quarter hour: an uncomfortable though brief experience.
• mauvaise honte [F] foreign term : bad shame: bashfulness.
• menage a trois n [F, lit., household for three] (1891): an arrangement in which three persons (as a married pair and the lover of one of the pair) share sexual relations esp. while living together.
• metteur en scène [F] foreign term : one who puts on the stage: director of a play or film.
• mise-en-scene n, pl mise-en-scenes [F mise en scene] (1833) 1 a: the arrangement of actors and scenery on a stage for a theatrical production b: stage setting 2 a: the physical setting of an action: context b: environment, milieu syn see background.
• monde [F] foreign term : world: fashionable world: society.
• mot juste n, pl mots justes [F] (1912): the exactly right word or phrasing.
• mousseline de soie n, pl mousselines de soie [F, lit., silk muslin] (1850): a silk muslin having a crisp finish.
• noir n, often attrib [short for film noir] (1980) 1: crime fiction featuring hard-boiled cynical characters and bleak sleazy settings 2: film noir -- noirish adj.
• nom de guerre n, pl noms de guerre [F, lit., war name] (1679): pseudonym.
• nom de plume n, pl noms de plume [F, pen name; prob. coined in E] (1823): pseudonym, pen name.
• non sans droict [OF] foreign term : not without right--motto on Shakespeare's coat of arms.
• nostalgie de la boue [F] foreign term : yearning for the mud: attraction to what is unworthy, crude, or degrading.
• nous avons changé tout cela [F] foreign term : we have changed all that.
• nous verrons ce que nous verrons [F] foreign term : we shall see what we shall see.
• nouveau adj [F, fr. MF novel] (1828): newly arrived or developed.
• nouveau riche n, pl nouveaux riches [F, lit., new rich] (1813): a person newly rich: parvenu.
• nouvelle vague n [F] (1959): new wave 1: a cinematic movement that is characterized by improvisation, abstraction, and subjective symbolism and that often makes use of experimental photographic techniques 2: a new movement in a particular field.
• nuit blanche [F] foreign term : white night: a sleepless night.
• objet d'art n, pl objets d'art [F, lit., art object] (1865) 1: an article of some artistic value 2: curio--called also objet.
• objet trouve n, pl objets trouves [F, lit., found object] (1937): a natural object (as a piece of driftwood) found by chance and held to have aesthetic value esp. through the working of natural forces on it; also: an artifact not orig. intended as art but held to have aesthetic value esp. when displayed as a work of art.
• oeil-de-boeuf n, pl oeils-de-boeuf [F oeil-de-boeuf, lit., ox's eye] (1849): a circular or oval window, oculus.
• par avance [F] foreign term: in advance: by anticipation.
• par avion [F] foreign term : by airplane--used on airmail.
• par excellence adj [F, lit., by excellence] (1695): being the best of a kind: preeminent par excellence.
• par exemple [F] foreign term : for example.
• pas de bourree n, pl pas de bourree or pas de bourrees [F, lit., bourree step] (1897): a walking or running ballet step usu. executed on the points of the toes.
• pas de chat n, pl pas de chat [F, lit., cat's step] (1914): a forward leap in ballet.
• pas de deux n, pl pas de deux [F, lit., step for two] (ca. 1762) 1: a dance or figure for two performers 2: an intricate relationship or activity involving two parties or things.
• pas de quatre n, pl pas de quatre [F, lit., step for four] (1884): a dance or figure for four performers.
• pas seul n [F, lit., solo step] (1813): a solo dance or dance figure.
• pate de foie gras n, pl pates de foie gras [F, lit., pate of fat liver] (1827): a pate of fat goose liver and usu. truffles sometimes with added fat pork.
• peine forte et dure [F] foreign term : strong and hard punishment: torture.
• père [F] foreign term : father--used orig. after French and now also after other family names to distinguish a father from his son.
• petit bourgeois n [F, lit., small bourgeois] (1853) 1: a member of the petite bourgeoisie 2: petite bourgeoisie -- petit bourgeois adj.
• petite bourgeoisie n [F, lit., small bourgeoisie] (1916): the lower middle class including esp. small shopkeepers and artisans.
• petite adj [F, fem. of petit] (1784): having a small trim figure--usu. used of a woman.
• petite n (ca. 1929): a clothing size for short women.
• petit four n, pl petits fours or petit fours [F, lit., small oven] (1884): a small cake cut from pound or sponge cake and frosted.
• petit mal n [F, lit., small illness] (1874): epilepsy characterized by mild convulsive seizure with transient clouding of consciousness--compare grand mal.
• petit-maitre n, pl petits-maitres [F, lit., small master] (1711): dandy, fop.
• petit point n [F, lit., small point] (1882): tent stitch; also: embroidery made with this stitch.
• peu à peu [F] foreign term : little by little.
• peu de chose [F] foreign term : a trifle.
• piece de resistance n, pl pieces de resistance [F, lit., piece of resistance] (1839) 1: the chief dish of a meal 2: an outstanding item or event: showpiece.
• pied-a-terre n, pl pieds-a-terre [F, lit., foot to the ground] (1829): a temporary or second lodging.
• pinot noir n, often cap P&N [F, lit., black Pinot (a grape variety)] (1941): a dry red wine produced from the same grape as French burgundy.
• place aux dames [F] foreign term : (make) room for the ladies.
• plat du jour n, pl plats du jour [F, lit., plate of the day] (1906): a dish that is featured by a restaurant on a particular day.
• plique-a-jour n [F, lit., braid letting in daylight] (1878): a style of enameling in which usu. transparent enamels are fused into the openings of a metal filigree to produce an effect suggestive of stained glass.
• plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose [F] foreign term : the more that changes, the more it's the same thing--often shortened to plus ça change.
• plus royaliste que le roi [F] foreign term : more royalist than the king.
• point d'appui n, pl points d'appui [F, lit., point of support] (1819): foundation, base.
• point de repère [F] foreign term : point of reference.
• Pont l'Eveque n [Pont l'Eveque, town in France] (ca. 1889): a soft surface-ripened cheese firmer, yellower, and having less surface mold than Camembert.
• port de bras n [F, lit., carriage of the arm] (1912): the technique and practice of arm movement in ballet.
• Port du Salut n [F port-du-salut, port-salut, fr. Port du Salut, Trappist abbey in northwest France] (1881): a semisoft pressed ripened cheese of usu. mild flavor originated by Trappist monks in France.
• pot-au-feu n, pl pot-au-feu [F, lit., pot on the fire] (1791): a French boiled dinner of meat and vegetables.
• pour acquit [F] foreign term : received payment.
• pour le mérite [F] foreign term : for merit.
• pour point n (1922): the lowest temperature at which a substance flows under specified conditions.
• pour rire [F] foreign term : for laughing: not to be taken seriously.
• premier danseur n [F] (1828): the principal male dancer in a ballet company.
• premier n [F, fr. premier, adj.] (1711): prime minister.
• pret-a-porter n [F, ready to wear] (1959): ready-to-wear clothes.
• prie-dieu n, pl prie-dieux [F, lit., pray God] (1760) 1: a kneeling bench designed for use by a person at prayer and fitted with a raised shelf on which the elbows or a book may be rested 2: a low armless upholstered chair with a high straight back.
• quand même [F] foreign term : even so: all the same.
• qui vive n [F qui-vive, fr. qui vive? long live who?, challenge of a French sentry] (1726): alert, lookout--used in the phrase on the qui vive.
• raison d'état [F] foreign term : reason of state.
• raison d'etre n [F] (1864): reason or justification for existence.
• reculer pour mieux sauter [F] foreign term : to draw back in order to make a better jump.
• répondez s'il vous plaît [F] foreign term : reply, if you please.
• revenons à nos moutons [F] foreign term : let us return to our sheep: let us get back to the subject.
• rite de passage n, pl rites de passage [F] (1911): rite of passage=a ritual associated with a crisis or a change of status (as marriage, illness, or death) for an individual.
• robe de chambre n, pl robes de chambre [F] (1731): dressing gown.
• roman a clef n, pl romans a clef [F, lit., novel with a key] (1893): a novel in which real persons or actual events figure under disguise.
• ruse de guerre [F] foreign term : war stratagem.
• salle à manger [F] foreign term : dining room.
• salon des refusés [F] foreign term : salon of the refused: exhibition of art that has been rejected by an official body.
• sans doute [F] foreign term : without doubt.
• sans gêne [F] foreign term : without embarrassment or constraint.
• sans peur et sans reproche [F] foreign term : without fear and without reproach.
• sans souci [F] foreign term : without worry.
• sauvignon blanc n [F, white sauvignon (variety of grape)] (1941): a dry white wine made from a grape orig. grown in Bordeaux and the Loire valley.
• savoir faire n [F savoir-faire, lit., knowing how to do] (1815): capacity for appropriate action; esp: a polished sureness in social behavior syn see tact.
• scène à faire [F] foreign term : obligatory scene.
• se tenant adj [F, lit., holding one another] (ca. 1911) of postage stamps: joined together as in the original sheet but differing in design, overprint, color, or perforation.
• si jeunesse savait, si vieillesse pouvait! [F] foreign term : if youth only knew, if age only could!.
• s'il vous plaît [F] foreign term : if you please.
• soi-disant adj [F, lit., saying oneself] (1752): self-styled, so-called--usu. used disparagingly
• soixante-neuf n [F] (1888): mutual cunnilingus and fellatio.
• son et lumiere n [F, lit., sound and light] (1957): an outdoor spectacle at an historic site consisting of recorded narration with light and sound effects.
• soup du jour n [part trans. of F soupe du jour soup of the day] (ca. 1945): a soup that is offered by a restaurant on a particular day.
• soup du jour n [part trans. of F soupe du jour soup of the day] (ca. 1945): a soup that is offered by a restaurant on a particular day.
• succes de scandale n [F, lit., success of scandal] (1896): something (as a work of art) that wins popularity or notoriety because of its scandalous nature; also: the reception accorded such a piece.
• sur place [F] foreign term : in place: on the spot.
• table d'hote n [F, lit., host's table] (1617) 1: a meal served to all guests at a stated hour and fixed price 2: a complete meal of several courses offered at a fixed price.
• tant mieux [F] foreign term : so much the better.
• tete-a-tete n [F, lit., head to head] (1697) 1: a private conversation between two persons 2: a short piece of furniture (as a sofa) intended to seat two persons esp. facing each other.
• tete-beche adj [F, n., pair of inverted stamps, fr. tete head + -beche, alter. of MF bechevet head against foot] (ca. 1913): of or relating to a pair of stamps inverted in relation to one another either through a printing error or intentionally.
• toile de Jouy n [F, lit., cloth of Jouy, fr. Jouy-en-Josas, France] (ca. 1920): an 18th century French scenic pattern usu. printed on cotton, linen, or silk in one color on a light ground; broadly: a similar printed fabric.
• toujours perdrix [F] foreign term : always partridge: too much of a good thing.
• tour de force n, pl tours de force [F] (1802): a feat of strength, skill, or ingenuity.
• tour d'horizon [F] foreign term : circuit of the horizon: general survey.
• tout à fait [F] foreign term : altogether: quite.
• tout à vous [F] foreign term : wholly yours: at your service.
• tout au contraire [F] foreign term : quite the contrary.
• tout bien ou rien [F] foreign term : everything well (done) or nothing (attempted).
• tout court [F] foreign term : quite short: and nothing more: simply: just; also: brusquely.
• tout de même [F] foreign term : all the same: nevertheless.
• tout de suite [F] foreign term : immediately; also: all at once: consecutively.
• tout ensemble [F] foreign term : all together: general effect.
• tout est perdu fors l'honneur or tout est perdu hors l'honneur [F] foreign term : all is lost save honor.
• tout le monde [F] foreign term : all the world: everybody.
• trahison des clercs [F] foreign term : treason of the intellectuals.
• tranche de vie [F] foreign term : slice of life.
• tranche n [F, lit., slice, fr. OF, fr. trenchier, trancher to cut--more at trench] (1930): a bond series issued for sale in a foreign country.
• trompe l'oeil n, often attrib [F trompe-l'oeil, lit., deceive the eye] (1889) 1: a style of painting in which objects are depicted with photographically realistic detail; also: the use of similar technique in interior decorating 2: a trompe l'oeil painting or effect.
• valet de chambre n, pl valets de chambre [F, lit., chamber valet] (1646): valet 1a.
• ventre à terre [F] foreign term : belly to the ground: at very great speed.
• vers de societe n [F, society verse] (1796): witty and typically ironic light verse.
• vers libre n, pl vers libres [F] (1902): free verse.
• vieux jeu [F] foreign term : old game: old hat.
• vin du pays or vin de pays [F] foreign term : wine of the locality.
• vingt-et-un n [F, lit., twenty-one] (1772): a card game the object of which is to be dealt cards having a higher count than those of the dealer up to but not exceeding 21--called also twenty-oneblackjack.
• vis-a-vis adv (1870): in company: together.
• vis-a-vis n, pl vis-a-vis (ca. 1757) 1: one that is face-to-face with another 2 a: escort, date b: counterpart 3: tete-a-tete 1.
• vis-a-vis prep [F, lit., face-to-face] (1755) 1: face-to-face with 2: in relation to 3: as compared with.
• vive la différence [F] foreign term : long live the difference (between the sexes).
• vive la reine [F] foreign term : long live the queen.
• vive le roi [F] foreign term : long live the king.
• vogue la galère [F] foreign term : let the galley be kept rowing: keep on, whatever may happen.
• voilà tout [F] foreign term : that's all.
• voir dire n [AF, fr. OF, to speak the truth] (1676): a preliminary examination to determine the competency of a witness or juror.
• vol-au-vent n [F,lit., flight in the wind] (1828): a baked patty shell filled with meat, fowl, game, or seafood in sauce.