Part 1

Chapter 12,727 wordsPublic domain

HEATH’S FRENCH AND ENGLISH DICTIONARY

COMPILED FROM THE BEST AUTHORITIES IN BOTH LANGUAGES

REVISED AND CONSIDERABLY ENLARGED

BY JAMES BOÏELLE, B. A. (Univ. Gall.) OFFICIER D’ACADÉMIE, LATELY EXAMINER IN FRENCH IN THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON; CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF “LA SOCIÉTÉ DES GENS DE LETTRES DE FRANCE,” ETC., ETC.

AIDED BY DE V. PAYEN-PAYNE ASSISTANT-EXAMINER IN FRENCH IN THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON PRINCIPAL OF KENSINGTON COACHING COLLEGE AUTHOR OF “FRENCH IDIOMS AND PROVERBS”

D. C. HEATH & CO., PUBLISHERS BOSTON, NEW YORK, CHICAGO

PREFACE TO REVISED EDITION.

When I was asked to undertake the preparation of this French Dictionary, I had no idea of the formidable nature of the task that lay before me. It was obvious, of course, that a very great deal would have to be done to bring up to date a dictionary of a living language that is ever growing, and in which new words and new meanings of words are being coined almost daily. But I found, in the course of the four and a half years during which I have been engaged upon the work, that it assumed proportions altogether undreamt of, and that I was virtually producing a new work.

Perhaps I may be permitted to direct attention to some of the features which distinguish the new edition.

Many thousands of new words and phrases, idioms and idiomatic expressions, proverbs and proverbial expressions, have been included. In a great many instances chapter and verse have been given. Two hundred columns of print have been added to the book.

For the words in the French-English part, I have closely followed the smaller Littré as well as Bescherelle, and have taken special care to give, as far as the compass of the Dictionary would allow, illustrative examples of the many and various meanings conveyed by the words under review. These various meanings have also been classified, as far as possible, under their respective heads. In the English-French portion I have, as far as the selection of words is concerned, closely followed the lines of Cassell’s English Dictionary. The latest classical, general, scientific, commercial, naval, and military terms are incorporated. In this part, too, the “notation” of the words has been carefully marked throughout and the pronunciation revised.

Among other features of the work which may justly, I think, be accounted improvements, I may mention the following, viz.: the different prepositions governing verbs have been printed in heavier type—thus simplifying one of the greatest difficulties of the language; the pronunciation of the words, where necessary, has been carefully indicated; and the list of geographical names of countries and places has been largely added to.

The work has occupied me, as I have said, for more than four years; but the process of revision has been to me most interesting, and while the labour expended has been far greater than anything I could have anticipated, I trust that the result will give satisfaction to an even larger circle of readers than was obtained by previous editions.

J. B.

ON FRENCH PRONUNCIATION.

=NOTE.=—The rules given below must be considered as general. Some are subject to more or less exceptions, which, for the sake of brevity, have not been mentioned, but they will all be found clearly and fully noticed in their respective places.

ALPHABET.

Old Approximate Modern Approximate French French English French English Alphabet. Pronunciation. Pronunciation. Pronunciation. Pronunciation. A a a ah a ah B b bé bay be bu-t C c cé say ce su-m D d dé day de du-ll E e é a e u-p F f èff eff fe fu-n G g jé zhay ge zhu-t H h ash ash he hu-g I i i ee i ee-l J j ji zhee je zhu-g K k k kah ke cu-t L l èl el le lu-ck M m èmm em me mu-d N n ènn en ne nu-t O o o o o o-ld P p pé pay pe pu-n Q q qu ku ke cu-rl R r èr air re ru-st S s èss ess se su-n T t té tay te tu-b U u u u u u V v vé vay ve vu-lgar X x iks eeks kse ksu-t Y y i grec ee grek y y-ore Z z zed zed ze zu-n

FRENCH VOWEL SOUNDS.

The Simple, or Vowel sounds, in the French language, are as follows:—

French. English. French.

a (short) like a in _bat_, exemplified by _mal_.

â (long) like a _bar_ _âge_.

e sounded like a _villă_ _me_, _je_.

è, ê e _e’er_, _there_ _père_.

é ai, e _air_, _eh_! _été_.

i ea _peak_ _pique_.

î ie _field_ _gîte_.

o o _rob_ _mol_.

ô o _no_ _môle_.

u no equivalent in English (nearest approach is _u_ in _brunette_) exemplified by _suc_.

û no equivalent in English _sûre_.

eû sounded like e in _her_ (but longer and deeper) _jeûne_.

ou oo _root_ exemplified by _goutte_.

oû oo _noose_ _voûte_.

an no equivalent in English _tan_.

in _fin_.

on _bon_.

un _brun_.

Y, when alone, or when preceded or followed by a consonant, is pronounced like an _i_; except in _pays_, _paysan_, _paysage_. When placed between two vowels, it performs the office of two _i_’s, and is always preceded by _a_, _e_, _o_, or _u_. When preceded by _a_ or _e_, it unites its first _i_ with this vowel, and sounds _è_, as in _rayon_, which is pronounced _rè-ion_; when preceded by _o_, its first _i_ is sounded in conjunction with _o_, like _wa_ in the English word _wag_, as in _joyeux_, which is pronounced _joa-ieû_; and when preceded by _u_, its own two _i_’s preserve their natural sound, as in _appuyer_, which is pronounced _appui-ié_.

A is long in the termination _aille_, except in _médăille_, _je travăille_, _détăille_, _émăille_, _băille_ (I give). It is also long in _ation_, as, _nation_, _admiration_, _oblation_; pronounce therefore, _pāille_, _limāille_, _canāille_, _nātion_, _admirātion_, _oblātion_, etc.

In the terminations of the imperfect of the subjunctive of verbs of the first conjugation, the _a_ is always short; as _que je parlăsse_, _que je donnăsse_.

NASAL SOUNDS.

The nasal syllables are: _aim_, _ain_, _am_, _an_, _aon_; _ean_, _eim_, _ein_, _em_, _en_, _eon_, _eun_; _im_, _in_; _om_, _on_; _um_, _un_; _ym_.

_Am_, _an_, _ean_, are pronounced like _an_, without exception; as _ambition_, _vendant_, _songeant_. _Em_ and _en_ are also pronounced like _an_, as in _emploi_, _empire_, _envie_; but not always. In words derived from foreign languages, they are pronounced liked _ème_, _ène_; as _Jerusalem_, _hymen_. In words terminating in _en_ or _ein_, and in their derivatives, _en_ is pronounced like _in_; as _mien_, _Chrétien_, _Chrétienté_; and in the verbs _tenir_, _venir_, and their derivatives, _en_ is sounded like _in_; as _tiens_, _viens_.

In _femme_, _em_ is pronounced like _am_.

_Im_, _in_, _aim_, _ain_, _ein_, are all pronounced like _in_. The _i_, however, keeps its natural sound in words taken from foreign languages, as in _Sélim_, _Ephraim_, which are pronounced as if the _m_ were followed by a silent _e_; in all words in which _in_ is followed by a vowel; as _in-animé_, _in-octavo_, _in-odore_, _in-humain_; and in the beginning of words commencing with _imm_ and _inn_.

_Om_, _on_, are pronounced like _on_; as in _pont_, _tombe_; _complet_, _donjon_. _Automne_ is pronounced _ôtonn_.

_Aen_, _aon_, _ean_ are sounded as _an_ in the following words: _Caen_, _Laon_, _taon_, _faon_, _paon_, _Jean_.

_Eon_ is sounded _on_ when following _g_: _mangeons_, _plongeon_.

_Um_, _un_, _eun_, are pronounced like _un_; as in _parfum_, _importun_, _à jeun_.

_Un_ is, however, sounded _on_ in a few words of foreign origin: _punch_, _de profundis_.

_Um_ is pronounced like _ome_ in words of Latin origin, as _duumvir_, _triumvir_; _factum_, _factotum_.

CONSONANTS.

B has the same sound as in English; as _bal_, ball. It is pronounced in the middle and at the end of words.

C has the sound of _k_ before _a_, _o_, _u_, _l_, _n_, _r_, except when it has a cedilla under it, in which case it is pronounced like _s_, as _reçu_. It is also pronounced like _s_ before _e_, _i_, and _y_. _Ch_ has the sound of _sh_, except when it is followed by a consonant, in which case it is pronounced like _k_; as in _chronologie_.

D has the same sound as in English. It is sounded in the middle of words, as in _adverbe_. When it is final, and carried to the following word, it sounds like _t_, as in _grand homme_, which is pronounced _gran-tomme_.

F is pronounced like the same letter in English, as in _fleur_, flower. It is sounded at the end of words; but in _neuf_ it is pronounced like _v_ when followed by a word beginning with a vowel or _h_ mute, as in _neuf enfants_, which words are pronounced _neu-van-fan_.

G has the hard sound of _g_ in the English word _go_, before _a_, _o_, _u_, _l_, _m_, _r_, as in _gomme_, _gris_, gum, gray. But it has always the soft sound of _s_ as in _pleasure_ before _e_, _i_, _y_, as in _génie_, _gîte_.

When combined with _n_ in the middle of words, it has a liquid sound, somewhat similar to that of _ni_ in the English word onion, as _régner_, _saigner_, _agneau_, _compagnon_, etc. Every word in which this sound occurs is preceded by a star (*) throughout this work. Whenever _gn_ is not liquid, it sounds as in the English word ignorant.

H is sounded with a guttural impulse, when aspirated, as in _héros_, hero. When mute it has no use but that of showing the etymology of the word, as in _honneur_, honor. It is always silent after _t_, as in _méthode_, _arithmétique_, which are pronounced _métod_, _a-rit-mé-tik_. The aspirated _h_ is marked throughout this work with a dagger (†).

J has always the sound of _s_ in _pleasure_, and is subject to no irregularity.

K has always a hard sound, as in the English word king, and is subject to no irregularity.

L has two sounds. The first is precisely the same as _l_ in the English word lily. The second is liquid. The liquid _l_, whether double or single, is always preceded by _i_. It is similar to the sound of the last _i_ in William.

It is to be remarked, that _i_, followed by _l_ or _ll_, and preceded by another vowel, is always silent in pronunciation; it only serves to indicate the liquid sound of the _l_, as in _paille_, _soleil_, _patrouille_, which ought to be pronounced _pâ-i_, _solé-i_, _patrou-i_. But when _i_ is not preceded by another vowel, as in _fille_, it retains its natural sound, and serves at the same time to indicate the liquid sound of _l_. And here in _fille_, pronounced _fi-i_, we find both the _i_ natural and the _i_ which stands for _ll_.

Whenever _i_ begins a word, as in _illusion_, the _l_’s are never liquid. The liquid _l_ is marked throughout this work with a star (*).

P has the sound of the same letter in English, as in _peine_, pain. When combined with _h_, it has the sound of _f_, as in _philosophe_, philosopher.

Q has the hard sound of _k_, as in the English word _quaker_. Whether initial or medial, _q_ is always followed by _u_, which is not sounded except in a few words that are noticed in the course of this work.

R has the same sound as in English, but is articulated much more strongly, as in _rivière_, river. It is always sounded at the end of words, when preceded by the vowels _a_, _i_, _o_, _u_. In substantives, adjectives, and verbs ending in _er_, it is silent, unless it is followed by a word beginning with a vowel or _h_ mute, as in _dernier ouvrage_, which is pronounced _dernié-rouvraj_.

S has two sounds. The first is hissing, as in the English word _sister_; the second is soft, as in the English word _please_. It has uniformly the hissing sound at the beginning of words, and the soft between two vowels. Both sounds occur in _saison_. It preserves its hissing sound in compound words, as in _parasol_, _vraisemblable_; and when it happens to be sounded at the end of words, as in _Pallas_, _Brutus_, _vis_.

When _s_ final is joined to the following word, it is always articulated like _z_, as in _dans un cas important_, which must be pronounced _dān-zun-kâ-zin-por-tān_.

T has two sounds; one hard, as in the English word _tutor_, and the other like the hissing _s_, as in _sister_. Both occur in _situation_, which is pronounced _si-tuā-sion_. It has the hissing sound before _i_, connected with some other following vowel or vowels, as in _patience_, _factieux_, which are pronounced _pasian-s_, _fak-sieû_.

When _t_, however, is immediately preceded by _s_, it preserves the hard sound, as in _bastion_, _question_, which are pronounced _bas-tion_, _kès-tion_.

X has generally the sound of _ks_. In all words beginning with _x_ or _ex_, followed by a vowel, it has the sound of _gz_, as in _Xavier_, _exil_, which are pronounced _gzavié_, _èg-zil_. When final, it is joined to the following word, and sounds like _z_, as in _beaux yeux_, _dix hommes_, which are pronounced _bô-zieû_, _dî-zom_. X has the sound of _ss_ in _Auxerre_, _Auxonne_, and _Bruxelles_.

FINAL CONSONANTS.

The final consonants that are sounded are _b_, _c_, _f_, _k_, _l_, _m_, _q_, _r_.

The final consonants that are not sounded in words which stand alone, or terminate a sentence, are, _d_, _g_, _h_, _n_, _p_, _r_ (in the termination _er_ only), _s_, _t_, _x_, _z_.

J and v are never final.

D is pronounced like _t_ when joined to the following word, as in _quand il parle_, which must be pronounced _kān-til parle_.

G is pronounced like _k_, as in _sang impur_, which is pronounced _sān-kin-pur_.

P is pronounced only in _Alep_, _cap_, _Gap_, _cep_, _jalap_; and in _beaucoup_, _trop_, when those two words come before a vowel. In _cep de vigne_, the _p_ is silent.

R, preceded by e, is frequently silent in conversation before a vowel, but it must always be sounded in poetry, unless it terminates the verse.

S, before a vowel, sounds like _z_, as in _nous avons eu_, which must be pronounced _nou-zavōn-zu_. S is sounded in _aloès_, _bibus_, _blocus_, _chorus_, _choléramorbus_, _dervis_, _florès_, _gratis_, _jadis_, _laps_, _maïs_, _mars_, _orémus_, _ours_, _rébus_, _relaps_, _Reims_, _Rubens_, _sinus_, _en sus_, _vasistas_, etc. It is silent in _Jésus-Christ_, but sounded in _le Christ_.

T is generally pronounced before a vowel, except when it is preceded by a sounded consonant, as in _effort étonnant_, pronounced _é-for-éto-nan_; in _quatre-vingt-un_ it is not pronounced, but it is sounded in _vingt et un_. In all plural nouns, and in the conjunction _et_; also before a vowel in _fort_, adjective, it is silent, but it is sounded in _fort_, adverb. Final _t_ is also sounded in _brut_, _déficit_, _dot_, _mat_, _exact_, _fat_, _infect_, _intact_, _net_, _rapt_, _subit_, _tact_, _toast_, _transit_, _zénith_, etc. It is not heard in _Jésus-Christ_, though it is sounded in _le Christ_.

LIST OF THE NOUNS OF DOUBLE GENDER EXISTING IN THE FRENCH LANGUAGE.

Aide {_m._, a male assistant. {_f._, a female assistant; aid, help, succor.

Aigle {_m._, male eagle. {_f._, she-eagle; standard, eagle.

Ange {_m._, angel; (artil.) chain-shot, bar-shot; angel-shot; (ich.) angel-fish.[1] {_f._, _not used_.

Apologétique {_m._, Tertullian’s treatise in defense of the early Christians. {_f._, apologetics, a part of theology.

Armadille {_m._, wood-louse. {_f._, armadilla, Spanish fleet to defend Spain’s possessions in the New World; Spanish frigate belonging to this fleet.

Asclépiade {_m._, (ancient poet.) asclepiad. {_f._, (bot.) asclepias, swallow-wort.

Aune {_m._, alder tree. {_f._, obsolete French measure = one ell.

Barbe {_m._, Barbary horse. {_f._, beard.

Barde {_m._, a bard, Celtic poet. {_f._, a thin slice, a rasher of bacon.

Basque {_m._, Biscayan; Basque (nation and language). {_f._, flap, skirt, tail, of a coat, or any other garment.

Bourgogne {_m._, Burgundy (wine). {_f._, Burgundy (province).

Brie {_m._, Brie (cheese). {_f._, Brie (province); rolling-pin.

Bulbe {_m._, (anat.) bulb. {_f._,[2](bot.) bulb.

Câpre[3] {_m._, ☉pirate; privateer; piratical ship. {_f._, (bot.) caper.

Carpe {_m._, wrist. {_f._, (ich.) carp.

Cartouche {_m._, (arch.) cartouch, modillion. {_f._, cartridge for small firearms.

Caustique {_m._, (med.) caustic. {_f._, (geom., phys.) caustic curve.

Champagne {_m._, Champagne (wine). {_f._, Champagne (province).

Chorée {_m._, choreus, choree, trochee. {_f._, (med.) chorea, St. Vitus’ dance.

Cinquième {_m._, the fifth part; pupil in the 5th form in public schools. {_f._, 5th form in public schools.

Cistophore {_m._, (antiq.) Asiatic coin marked with a cist. {_f._, (antiq.) a female cist-bearer in the feast of Ceres and Bacchus.

Claque {_m._ opera hat. {_f._, flap, slap, smack; (thea.) claque, paid clappers.

Cloaque {_m._, sink, receptacle of filth; filthy, dirty place; filthy person; (anat.) cloaca. {_f._, (Roman antiq.) common sewer.

Coche {_m._, barge for the conveyance of travelers, track-boat, coach. {_f._, sow, she-pig; notch, nick, indentation.

Connétable {_m._, High-Constable. {_f._, High-Constable’s wife.

Contumace {_m._, a man guilty of contumacy (jur.). {_f._, contumacy.

Cornette {_m._, cornet, ensign-bearer (cavalry). {_f._, cornet, mob-cap; (milit.) colors of a company of cavalry; cornetcy; (nav.) broad pendant.

Cosaque {_m._, Cossack. {_f._, Cossack dance.

Cosmétique {_m._, cosmetic. {_f._, the art of using cosmetics.

Cotte {_m._, (ich.) bull-head, miller’s-thumb. {_f._, ☉petticoat. _— d’armes_; coat of arms. _— de mailles_; coat of mail. _— morte_; property left by a deceased monk.

Couple {_m._, a married pair, husband and wife. {_f._, a brace, two.

Cravate {_m._, Croatian horse; ☉trooper of light cavalry regiments which bore the same name. {_f._, cravat, necktie, neckcloth.

Crêpe {_m._, crape. {_f._, pancake.

Critique {_m._, a critic. {_f._, criticism.

Custode {_m._, warden. {_f._, cloth to cover the pyx in which the Host is kept; curtain of the high altar; ☉curtain.

Décime {_m._, copper coin worth 10 centimes, the tenth part of a franc; a war tax. {_f._, tithe formerly levied on ecclesiastical revenues; _pl._, tax paid formerly to the king by the holders of benefices.

Dentale {_m._, (conch,) dentalium, dental, tooth-shell. {_f._, dental, dental consonant.

Didactique {_m._, didactic language, didactic style. {_f._, the art of teaching.

Dixième {_m._, the tenth part; a tax. {_f._, (mus.) tenth.

Ébène[4] {_m._, _not used_. {_f._, ebony, ebon; (fig.) black color.

Écho {_m._, echo. {_f._, Echo (nymph).

Élève {_m._, male pupil, school-boy. {_f._, female pupil, school-girl; breeding of horses, cattle, etc.

Enseigne {_m._, ensign, standard-bearer. {_f._, sign-board.

Éphémère {_m._, (ent.) ephemera, ephemeran, day-fly, May-fly. {_f._, spider-wort, _tradescantia virginica_.

Espace {_m._, space, distance, interval. {_f._, (print.) space, metallic plate to separate words.

Exemple {_m._, example. {_f._, writing-copy.

Faune {_m._, faun (myth.). {_f._, fauna.

Faux {_m._, forgery, falsehood. {_f._, scythe.

Fin {_m._, sharp, astute man; gist, main point; (metal.) pure metal. {_f._, end, termination; aim, object, view, design, intention.

Finale {_m._, (mus.) finale. {_f._, (gram.) final letter or syllable.

Flasque {_m._, cheek (of a gun-carriage). {_f._, powder-flask, powder-horn; (nav.) whelp (of the capstan); board (of bellows).

Follicule {_m._, (anat., bot.) follicle. {_f._, [5]small sheet of paper; (pharm.) pod of senna.

Foret[6] {_m._, drill (to bore holes). {_f._, forest.

Foudre {_m._, (st.e.) thunder-bolt, lightning; (paint., sculpt.) thunder-bolt, Jupiter’s attribute; (fig.) irresistible eloquence; great general, orator, hero; divine anger, vengeance; fulmination of excommunication, etc.; artillery, mines, war; (poet.) catastrophe, destruction. A tun (cask). {_f._, thunder-bolt, lightning; (fig.) divine anger, vengeance; fulmination of excommunication, etc.; superior eloquence; artillery, mines, etc.

Fourbe {_m._, knave. {_f._, deceit, craftiness.

Garde {_m._, a guard, a keeper. {_f._, guarding, guard; watching; keeping.

Garde-robe {_m._, lady’s apron. {_f._, wardrobe; (bot.) artemisia.