vocab Flashcards
counter to, in reverse, backwards
à rebours de
to bicker, bickering
chamailler, chamailles, chamaillerie
to guard against
se prémunir de
to debate, argue about
en découdre, en a décousu
Refurbished, fixed up, refreshed
requinqué
to tackle a task
s’atteler à
to pride oneself on
se targuer de
to be in full swing, at its peak
battre son plein
under the guidance of
sous la houlette de
to find a way, figure it out (with a struggle)
se démener
to disregard out of disdain
faire fi de
at every opportunity
à tout bout de champ
to halt, curb
juguler
warning shot, wake-up call
Coup de semonce
stuffed, padded
rembourré
propped up
calé
to stretch (oneself)
se dégourdir
piled up
amoncelé
dawdle, go slow
lambiner
to pilfer / pilfering
chaparder / la chaparderie
to lug around
trimballer
to be teeming with
grouiller de
exhausted
fourbu
at short notice, on the spot
au pied levé
to be appropriate
être de mise
custom-made
sur mesure
upstream, beforehand, in advance
en amont
hidden, concealed
occulté
to be down in the dumps
broyer du noir
to beat up
tabasser
completely fabricate, make up
monter de toutes pièces
From the outset, from the start
d’emblée
to fool, hoodwink
berner
to pretend to
faire mine de
patron, sponsor
mécène
to pretend to be sick, to miss work
se faire porter pâle
to stir up, kindle
attiser
grievances
doléances
to torment, gnaw at
tarauder
to litter, strew
joncher
jackpot, gold mine
pactole
unusual
insolite
inappropriate; out of place
déplacé
to set in motion
mettre en branle
to skimp on, to be stingy with
lésiner sur
breakthrough
percée
expected, anticipated
escompté
a revolt
une fronde
rise, expansion
essor (m)
to legislate
légiférer
excess, outrageousness
outrance (f)
accomplish what was expected, achieve his/her goals
tenir son pari
laundered money
argent blanchi
to carry out, to perform
effectuer
to rule on, decide on
statuer sur
to identify, define
cerner
to abound in
foisonner de
fond of
friand de
Endowed with, blessed with
nanti de
to take stock of
faire le point sur
wilted, weakened
étiolé
dreadful
épouvantable
to draft
rédiger
brainstorm
remue-méninges
to score big
décrocher le Graal
scenario
cas de figure
security clearance
habilitation securitaire
a weak link
un maillon faible
Fluctuations in the market
aléa conjoncturel
excessively, unreasonably much
plus que de raison
driver of growth, source of growth
relais de croissance
software
logiciels
find a countermeasure, find a way around
trouver la parade
to bribe
soudoyer
bribes
pots-de-vin
To fill in the gaps
combler les lacunes
compensation, allowance
indemnité
to mature, to gain experience with age
prendre de la bouteille
to outsource
sous-traiter, la sous-traitance
meticulous, attentive to detail
minutieux
to be labelled
être taxé de
tariffs
les droits de douanes
pioneer
défricheur
unearth
dénicher
to let off steam
se défouler
rage, to rage
hargner / la hargne
to list
recenser
joy, cheerfulness
allégresse (f)
That’s not the point
çe n’est pas le propos
preposterous
saugrenue
Take over, pick up someone’s slack
prendre le relais
welfare benefits
prestations sociales
mocking (adj)
goguenard
to shift
décaler
to target, have in mind, have as a goal
avoir en ligne de mire
sly, cunning (pejorative)
cauteleux
cramped
à l’étroit
survivor
rescapé
halo
auréole
taking into account, considering
compte tenue de
outdated, obsolete
révolu
to rise to the challenge
relever le defi
black sheep
la brebis galeuse
Just like
à l’instar de
piecemeal, in dribs and drabs
au compte-gouttes
property taxes
taxes foncières
fan, range (of things)
évantail
to take the lead in
prendre la tête de
crowded
bondé
to draw (from a well)
puiser
to put on the shelf, to Isolate
mettre au ban
to cause a stir, a backlash
mettre en émoi
setback, disappointment
déboire
scam
une arnaque
addict
accro
to flirt
dragouiller
full to bursting (with people)
plein à craquer
to get something out of it, benefit from
y trouver son compte
confused
embrouillé
knife, bladed weapon
arme blanche
repercussions, backlash
contrecoups
native, ethnic
de souche
to encounter, come up against
se heurter à
School recess
la récré
to tie down, secure
arrimer
currency
la devise
to take it up a notch
monter d’un cran
to go after, to attack
s’en prendre à
to take the lead, take the initiative
prendre les devants
Relentless, fierce
acharné
share price (stock)
cours de l’action
with your heart on your sleeve
le coeur sur la main
to highlight, put in the forefront
mettre en exergue
arm wrestle, power struggle
bras de fer
to defuse, deactivate
desamorcer
provided that, as long as
pour peu que
it must be noted that
force est de constater que
To tame
apprivoiser
professional rank or grade
echelon
machinery, cogs
rouages
destitute, penniless
démuni
In the absence of, failing
à défaut de
to entangle
empêtrer
to outshine, overshadow
faire de l’ombre à
abysmal, deplorable
exécrable
major, large-scale
d’envergure
a downturn (economic)
un décrochage (economique)
painless
indolore
to chant
scander
hastle, trouble
un tracas
a prank
un canular
to crumble, lose its power / crumbling
s’effriter / un effritement
the champion of
le chantre de
(enter) into the fray, in the running
(entrer) en lice
where appropriate, if need be, if any
le cas échéant
sustainable, perrenial
pérenne
tidal wave, an unexpected surge in something
une lame de fond
to do something in vain
avoir beau + verbe
guardrail
un garde-fou
to handle, wield
manier
a fine
une amende
obsolete
caduc
to go very well, to circulate widely
aller bon train
blindness
la cécité
to tame, subdue
dompter
wallow, languish, rot
croupir
blunder, gaffe
une bévue
Head on, with full force
de plein fouet
to successfully contest, dispute, beat down (an idea)
battre en brèche
to make matters worse
pour ne rien arranger
to stun, floor
sidérer
scoundrel, dishonest person
crapule
refrain
une rengaine
to hinder, obstruct
entraver
to get bogged down, stalemate
s’enliser, enlisement
the basis of, foundation of
le socle de
out of reach
hors de portée
to reach (by traveling)
rallier
without even going that far
sans en arriver là
harmful
néfaste
unfair, unjust
inique
evident, clear, obvious
patent
interference
ingérence
secret agent, spook
barbouze
all out, across-the-board, everywhere (shotgun approach)
tout azimut
enormous amount, unending number of
une kyrielle de
to turn into, develop into
se muer en
to deceive oneself
se leurrer
executioner
bourreau
hearse
un corbillard
fashionable
“branché”
very inexpensive
à vil prix
to wear, display
arborer
overconfidence, little regard for others
outrecuidance
fateful
fatidique
to bring to light, reveal
mettre au jour
grasshopper
une sauterelle
random
aléatoire
