Voc anglais 2 (hors livres) Flashcards
to break even
to have no profit or loss at the end of a business activity
*
After paying for our travel costs, we barely broke even.
The airline hopes to break even next year and return to profit the following year.
wise ass = wiseass
a person who thinks he or she is being witty or clever.
≈
a smart ass is particularly insolent, who tends to make snide remarks or jokes
forlorn
forlornly
pitifully sad and abandoned or lonely
désespéré, triste, abandonné, délaissé
forlornly : in a way that shows that you are alone and unhappy
to moonlight
have a second job, typically secretly and at night, in addition to one’s regular employment.
“he had been moonlighting for a rival tabloid”
ominous
giving the worrying impression that something bad is going to happen; threateningly inauspicious.
“there were ominous dark clouds gathering overhead”
de mauvaise augure, menaçant
underworld
the world of criminals or of organized crime.
“a man reputed to be a godfather of the Glasgow underworld”
pègre, milieu
bewilder / bewildered
If something bewilders you, it is so confusing or difficult that you cannot understand it.
If you are bewildered, you are very confused and cannot understand something or decide what you should do.
= dérouté, perplexe, déconcerté
*
She was bewildered by his sudden change of mood.
henchman / hennchmen
(disapproval / derogatory)
If you refer to someone as another person’s henchman, you mean that they work for or support the other person, especially by doing unpleasant, violent, or dishonest things on their behalf.
= homme de main
derogatory
If you make a derogatory remark or comment about someone or something, you express your low opinion of them.
= désobligeant
*
He refused to withdraw derogatory remarks made about his boss.
overbearing
(disapproval)
An overbearing person tries to make other people do what he or she wants in an unpleasant and forceful way.
= autoritaire
[+ with]
*
He can be quite overbearing with his staff.
loophole
A loophole in the law is a small mistake which allows people to do something that would otherwise be illegal.
a legal loophole = un vide juridique
a tax loophole = une lacune dans la législation fiscale
*
He uses his legal knowledge to exploit loopholes in the law.
sparring partner
A boxer’s sparring partner is another boxer who he or she fights regularly in training.
Your sparring partner is a person with whom you regularly have friendly arguments.
to spar =
If you spar with someone, you box using fairly gentle blows instead of hitting your opponent hard, either when you are training or when you want to test how quickly your opponent reacts.
If you spar with someone, you argue with them but not in an aggressive or serious way.
ramshackle
A ramshackle building is badly made or in bad condition, and looks as if it is likely to fall down.
A ramshackle system, union, or collection of things has been put together without much thought and is not likely to work very well.
= délabré, branlant
*
They joined with a ramshackle alliance of other rebels.
in a jiffy
(informal)
If you say that you will do something in a jiffy, you mean that you will do it very quickly or very soon.
= en un clin d’oeil
*
I’m just calling to say we’re on our way and will be there in a jiffy.
begging bowl
A bowl carried by a beggar,
If someone approaches someone else with a begging bowl, it asks them for money.
