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Wednesday, December 23, 2015

French words of the day: adroit to terrible

French - English

adroit - skilful (literally right handed?)
beret - round soft felt men's hat with no brim and a small upright tag in the middle
billet - place with instructions to lodge a soldier, originally a little bill or order
billet-doux - sweet nothings, sweet note, bits of sweet(ness)
cagoule/kagoule - anorak, balaclava
cavalier - on horseback, or hastily sweeping somebody aside, going past above them
coquette - flirt
démodé - out of fashion
enfant - child (similar to our word infant)
enfant terrible - terrible child / embarrassment / notoriously naughty person
finesse - skill and style
harangue - shout out incessantly, badger
hauteur - arrogance, haughtiness, pride
passé - out of date
raison d'être - literally reason of / for being / sole reason for existing, primary purpose
regrette - regret
terrible - terrible

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

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