à l'écart - aside
à la longue - finally
à la recherche de - in pursuit of
à mi-chemin - half way to
à part que - beside the fact that
à peine - barely
à peu près - more or less
à plus d'un titre - in more than one respect
s'abaisser - to go down
s'abîmer - to plunge
aborder - to approach
aborescent(e) - like a tree
abriter - to shelter
accablé(e) - overwhelmed
acceptation f. - understanding
accomplir - to finish
accrocher - to hook
accroupi(e) - squatting down
affolé(e) - driven crazy
agiter - to wave back and forth
aigu(e) - sharp
aiguillette - shoulder-knot, a uniform decoration
aile f. - wing
aisance f. - ease
aisé(e) - here, easy
ajouter - to ad
alléguer - to plead
s'en aller - to go away
aloës m. - aloe
amarrage m. - mooring
ambré(e) - amber-like
amère - bitter
amonceler - to pile up
ancre f. - anchor
anneau m. - ring
antédiluvien(ne) - before Noah's flood
apercevoir - to see
s'apercevoir de - to perceive
appareiller - to trim a sail
appartenir - to belong to
s'appensantir - to weigh down
apporter - to bring
s'apprêter à - to get ready to
apprivoisé(e) - tamed
s'approcher de - to approach, to move close to
appuyer - to lean
arbuste m. - bush
ardent(e) - burning
ardeur f. - heat
arête f. - ridge
argenté(e) - silvery
arme f. - weapon
arracher - to rip off
arrondi(e) - round
arroser - to water
arum m. - arum, a lilly
assistance f. - audience
assoupir - to make drowsy
assoupli(e) - pliable
s'attendre à - to expect
attirer - to draw, to attract
au bord de - along
au delà de - past, beyond
au hasard - by chance, at random
au large - at sea
au point de vue de - from the point of view of
aube f. - dawn
auprès de - near
austral(e) - southern
autel m. - altar
autrefois - the past
avis m. - opinion
avoir cours - to be commonly held
babord m. - port side
babouin m. - baboon
baisser m. - lowering
banquette f. - bench
barreau m. - bar (of a cage)
basalte - basalt, a volcanic rock
basané(e) - dark skinned
bâtiment baleinier m. - whaling ship
bâtir - to build
battre - to shuffle (cards)
bien des - many
bien-être m. - well being
bienveillance f. - kindness
blanchir - to whiten
blême - pale
bois m. - woods
bord m. - edge
borne f. - milestone, stone mileage marker
bottine f. - slipper
boudeur(se) - pouting
bouffée f. - whiff
bouffonnerie f. - clownishness
bougie f. - candle
bouillée f. - cluster
bouillonner - to froth up
braise f. - live embers
brisant m. - reef
briser - to break
broder - to embellish
broussailles f.pl. - brush
bruissement m. - rumbling (< bruit)
brume f. - mist
bruyamment - noisily (< bruit - noise)
buisson m. - thicket
câlin(e) - caressing
campagne f. - countryside
canot m. - canoe
capillaire f. - maidenhair fern
cascade f. - waterfall
case f. - house/hut
causer - to chat
causerie f. - conversation
ceinture f. - belt
cependant - however
se cercler - to be circled
chaire f. - important chair
chargé(e) - loaded
charger - to assign
chaume m. - thatch (dried hay)
chauve-souris f.- bat (the animal)
chavirer - to knock over
chef m. - conductor
chemin m. - path
chevet m. - head of the bed
chèvre m. - goat
choeur m. - choir
choriste - chorister
chute f. - waterfall, fall
cigale f. - cicada
citadin m. - citizen
citron m. - lemon
clair de lune m. - moonlight
coffre m. - chest
colère f. - anger
colon m. - colonist
combler - to cover, to overwhelm
commode - convenient
concours m. - contest
conduite f. - direction (musical)
consulat m. - consulate
convenir - to agree upon
convier - to invite
convive m. - guest
coquille f. - shell
corail m. - coral
corne f. - horn
corolle f. - corolla
corsage f. - blouse
couchant m. - sunset
coup d'oeil m. - glance
coupe f. - cut (in fashion)
cour f. - court
courant m. - course
couronne f. - crown
courroucé(e) - angered
crâne m. - skull
crêpé(e) - frizzed
crépusculaire - sunset like
crépuscule f. - sunset
creusé(e) - dug out
croître - to grow
croquer - to eat (slang)
cueillir - to gather, to pick
cuit(e) - cooked
cuivre m. - copper
cuivré(e) - copper colored
davantage - more
de bonne heure - early
de nouveau - again
de plus - in addition
de suite - in a row
débordement m. - overflowing
déborder - to extend past the limits
déchirer - to tear
déchirure f. - tear
découpé(e) - to cut out
défiler - to pass by
demeure f. - dwelling, home
dénoter - to show
dénoué(e) - untied, loose
dentelle f. - lace
dépasser - to go beyond
dépiter - to make jealous
déplacer - to move
déployer - to display
dérèglement m. - disordered state
désigner - to designate
dessiner - to draw
détacher - to detach
se détourner de - to turn away from
détrempé(e) - soaked
devant - in front of
deviner - to figure out
diadème m. - headband worn as a sign of royalty
diriger - to direct
disséminé(e) - spread out
dominante f. - dominant chord
doré(e) - golden
drap m. - cloth
se dresser - to rise up
droit m.- right
droit(e) - straight
durée f. - duration
s'ebattre - to frolic, to play
éblouissant(e) - dazzling
ébranler - to shake up
écarté f. - a card game
échappée f. - opening, space
échevelé(e) - wild, disordered
échoppe f. - stall, booth
éclairer - to light up
éclat m. - burst
écorce f. - tree bark
s'écouler - to slip away
écoulé(e) - passed
édenté(e) - toothless
effaré(e) - scared
éffectuer - to carry out, bring to happen
effilé(e) - that narrows to a point
effleurer - to brush
effondré(e) - caved in
effondrement m. - caving in
s'efforcer de - to strive to
effrayant(e) - terrifying
effrayer - to frighten
effréné(e) - unrestrained
effroyable - frightening
égard m. - consideration
égarement m. - bewilderment
égayer - to cheer up
éloigné(e) - distant
s'éloigner - to go away
émail m. - enamel
emballer - to pack
s'embarquer - to board a ship
s'embrouiller - to get confused
émietté(e) - broken into tiny pieces
émonder - to trim, to prun
empêcher - to hinder, to prevent
emplir - to fill
emporter - to carry away
empreint(e) - stamped
empressé(e) - busy
en sens inverse - in the opposite direction
encaissé(e) - boxed in
enchaîner - to tie up
s'enchevêtrer - to get entangled
enclos m. - enclosure
énervant(e) - enervating
enfoncer - to thrust
enfoui(e) - buried
enivré(e) - intoxicated
enlacé(e) - entwined
enlever - to carry off, to remove
s'ensuivre - to follow
entamer - to begin
entonner - to intone
entourer - to surround
entr'ouvrir - to open part way
entraîner - to pull
entraver - to hinder
entretenir - to maintain
entretien m. - discussion
entrevu(e) - glimpsed
envahir - to invade
environ - about, around
envoler - to take off, to fly away
épais(se) - thick
épaisseur f. - thickness
s'épanouir - to light up, to open up
s'épivarder - to splash
épouvantable - terrifying
épouvantail m. - something used to scare people
éprouver - to feel
errer - to wander
érudition f. - learning
estrade f. - platform
étaler - to spread out
étape f. - stop
état-major m. - general staff
s'éteindre - to go out (of a light)
éteint(e) - extinguished
étendre - to stretch out
s'étendre - to stretch out
étendu(e) - stretched out
étoffe f. - cloth
étonnant(e) - surprising
étonnement - astonishment
étrangeté f. - strangeness
être de retour - to be back home, etc.
Etrurie f. - the Etruscan region of ancient Italy
s'évanouir - to fade away
éveiller - to awaken
éviter - to avoid
s'exalter - to get excited
exiger - to require
expédier - to send
fabuleux(se) - legendary
se fâcher - to get angry
faible - weak
faillir - to almost do something
faire contre fortune bon coeur - to make the best of
faire le somme - to take a nap
faire société à - to keep company
fané(e) - wilted
fatal - fated
faucher - to cut down
fauve - tawny, fawn-colored
fauvette f. - singing bird
faux(sse) - false
fendu(e) - here, wide
fente f. - gaps
feuillage f. - leaves
feuille f. - leaf
fifre m. - fife
figé(e) - set, fixed
finir par - to end up by
flanc m. - side
flèche f. - spire
foi f. - faith
fond m. - background
fondre - to dissolve
force me fût - I had to
fortuit(e) - fortuitous, by chance
fougère f. - fern
fouiller - to search with one's hands
fouillis m. - jumble
foule f. - crowd, hoard
foyer m. - hearth, home
fraîcheur f. - cool
frais(îche) - fresh
franchir - to cross over
frapper - to strike
frayeur f. - fear
frégate f. - frigate, a type of ship
frêle - frail
frisson m. - shivver
frissoner - to shivver
froisser - to mess up
se froisser - to brush against each other
frôlement m. - the brushing
functionnaire m. - official
galet m. - rock
galon m.- braid, uniform decor
gamme f. - the scale
garantir - to protect
garnir - to garnish
gerbe f. - spray
gingembre m. - ginger
gîte m. - resting place
glisser - to slip, to slide
gouffre m. - pit
goût m. - taste
goutte f. - drop
goyave f. - guava
goyavier m. - guava tree
gratuit(e) - without charge
greffier m. - clerk
gronder - to grumble
grotte f. - grotto
grouiller - to swarm
guirlande f. - garland
habit de gala m. - formal attire
habitation f. - dwelling
habitué(e) - someone who does something regularly
haleter - to gasp, to pant
hauteur f. - height
heurter - to bump into
hirondelle f. - swallow
hivernage m. - winter season
hospitalier(ère) - hospitable
idylle f. - idyllic time
îlot m. - small island
immolé(e) - killed as a sacrifice
impulsion f. - impulse
inattendu(e) - unexpected
incendie f. - fire
inconscient(e) - unconscious
inculte - uncultured
indécis(e) - undecided, vague
indicible - unexpressable
indigène - native, local
inerte - lifeless
inexécutable - unrealizable
initié m.- initiate, member
s'inquiéter de - to worry about
inquiét(éte) - worried
insensé(e) - mindless
insouciant(e) - carefree
insulaire - inhabitant of an island
intraduisible - untranslatable
inusité(e) - unaccustomed
ivresse f. - intoxication
jadis - once upon a time
joncher - to strew
jouet m. - toy
juste - correct
laisser-aller m. - freedom
langueur f. - languor,
large m. - open sea
larguer - to let loose
larme f. - tear
laurier-rose m. - oleander (a flower)
le long de - the length of, along
lendemain m. - day after
liane f. - creeper (a plant)
lias m. - an ancient geological period
lichen m. - lichen, like moss
lieu m. - location, area
liliputien m. - very small person, Gulliver's Travels
livré(e) - turned over, released
logis m. - lodgings, home
louis m. - a former French monetary unit
lubrique - lustful
lueur f. - light
lune de miel f. - honeymoon
madrépore - a type of coral
maint(e) - many
maitraité(e) - mistreated
manche f. - sleeve
manquer à - to miss
marin m. - sailor
marquer les points - to keep score
mât m. - mast
méconnaissable - unrecognizable
mêler - to mix
se mêler à - to join
mener - to lead
mettre à profit - to take advantage of
se mettre à - to begin to
miauler - to mew
mine f. - face, expression
mise en scène f. - staging
moeurs f.pl. - customs, morals
moindre - least
moineau m. - sparrow
momie f. - mummy
monticule m. - small hill
morne m. - small mountain
mou(lle) - soft
mouillage m. - anchorage
mouillé(e) - wet
mouiller - to drop anchor
mousse f. - moss
mousseline f. - muslin, a semi-transparent fabric
mûr(e) - ripe
muraille f. - outside wall
mûrier m. - mulberry tree
n'importe où - anywhere
nacre f. - mother of pearl
nappe f. - sheet (of water)
natte f. - mat
natte f. - plait
navire f. - ship
ne ... guère - hardly
ne ... aucun(e) - not any, no
ne ... point - not at all
néanmoins - nevertheless
néant m. - nothingness
néophyte m./f. - beginner
nervure f. - rib
net(te) - sharp, clean
nettement - clearly
obéir à - to obey someone or something
ombrager - to cover with shade
ombre f. - shade, shadow
ombreux(se) - shaded
ondée f. - innundation
orage m. - storm
orner - to decorate
ossement m. - bone
pagaye f. - paddle
paille f. - straw
paisible - peaceable
pandanus - tree that grows in Tahiti
panne f. - bank of clouds
parcourir - to run through
paré(e) - adorned
paresseux(se) - lazy
parfois - sometimes
paroi f. - partition wall
partout - everywhere
parvenir - to reach
pas m. - footstep
paupière f. - eyelid
pêche f. - fishing
peine f. - difficulty
peint(e) - painted
se pencher - to lean
pénible - rough
perron m. - flight of steps
pervenche f. - periwinkle (a flower)
peser - to weigh
phalène f. - moth
physionomie f. - face
pic m. - peak
pièce montée f. - elaborate pastrywork
pierre f. - stone
piquer - to stick
pirogue f. - a type of dugout boat
planer - to hover
plaquer - to flatten
plastron - a shirt front (they don't exist anymore)
plombé(e) - leaden
plume f. - feather
point de - no
poisson-volant m. - flying fish
pont m. - bridge
poser - to establish
potiche f. - large vase
poussière f. - dust
précipiter - to hurl
prendre à gauche - to turn to the left
prendre à part - to take aside
prendre au dépourvu - to catch off guard
pressentiment m. - presentment
prestesse - quickness
prévenant(e) - considerate
prévision f. - expectation
pris(e) - well-proportioned
procédé m. - procedure
provenance f. - origin
prunelle f. - pupil (of eye)
puiser - to derive
puisque - since
puissant(e) - powerful
puits m. - well
quoi que - whatever (followed by subjuctive)
rade f. - harbor
radieux(se) - radiant
raie f. - line
railler - to make fun of
ramener - to bring back
rameur m. - rower
ramure f. - branches
rancune f. - rancor, anger
rangé(e) - gathered
rassuré(e) - rassured
rattacher - to reattach
rauque - harsh
ravi(e) - in extasy
ravissement m. - rapture
rayon m. - ray
rayonner - to glow
réchauffer - to heat up
récif m. - reef
recoin m. - hidden corner
recueilli(e) - withdrawn
redire - to reproach
redouter - to fear
regagner - to return to
reine f. - queen
reins m.pl. - here, waist
réintégrer - return someone to his home
rejoindre - to rejoin
relâche f.- port of call
relief m. - raised area
relier - to hold together
remettre - to turn over
remonter - to go back (in time)
rempli(e) - filled
rendre capot - to make a fool of
renfermer - to enclose
renom m. - renown, fame
renverser - to turn upside down
répandre - to spread
reparaître - to reappear
repasser - to go over
replier - to shut back up
résister à - to resist (someone/something)
résonner - to sound
ressembler à - to resemble someone/something
résumer - to summarize
retenir - to hold
réunir - to reunite
rêverie f. - daydreaming
rideau m. - curtain
rieur(se) - laughing
rocher m. - rock
rôder - to prowl
se roidir - to stiffen
roseau m. - reed
rosée f. - dew
rosier m. - rosebush
rôti(e) - roast
rougir - to blush
roux(sse) - russet, reddish-brown
rude - rough
rugissement m. - roaring
ruisseler - to stream with
sage - well-behaved
sagesse f. - good behavior
saillant(e) - noticeable
saluer - to greet
sandal m. - sandalwood, a wood used for its fragrance
sanglot m. - sob
sauter - to jump
sauvage - wild/uncivilized
se sauver - to run off
scabieux(se) - scabious, reddish
sécher - to dry
secouer - to shake
sein m. - breast
séjour m. - sojourn, stay
semblable - similar
semer - to seed
sensitive f. - flowering plant that closes
senteur f. - smell
sentier m. - path
sépulture f. - tomb
serment m. - oath, promise
serpenter - to snake
serrer - to clasp, to hug, to wrap around
se serrer - to hold one another, to move close together
seuil m. - threshhold, doorstep
si bien que - as a result
siècle m. - century
sifflement m. - whisting
simulacre m. - copy, replica
soigné(e) - taken care of
soin m. - care
son m.- sound
souffle m. - breath
souffler - to blow
souhaiter - to wish
soulager - to relieve
soulever - to raise
soupçonner - to suspect
sourd(e) - dull
souris f. - mouse
soutenir - to hold up
soutien m. - support
soyeux(se) - silky
strie f. - ridge
suite f. - following
suivant(e) - follower, member of the court
surmonté(e) - topped
surnaturel(le) - supernatural
surplomber - to tower over
taille f. - figure (speaking of a person)
tapage m. - noise, ruckuss
tapis m. - carpet
tapissé(e) - covered as with tapistry
tarder à - to be slow to
teinte f. - shade, color
temple - Protestant church (as opposed to église)
tenter - to attempt
tenue f. - dress, outfit
terre cuite f. - terra cotta
tiède - warm
timbre m. - stampo
tirer sur - to tend toward
toit m. - roof, figuratively: house
torder - to twist
touffe f. - cluster
touffu(e) - thickly wooded
toux f. - cough
traîne f. - train (of a dress)
traînée f. - stream
traîner - to drag
trait m. - feature
trancher - to slice, to cut through
transversal(e) - crossing at a right angle
traversée f. - crossing
trempé(e) - drenched
tremper - to dip
trépassé - dead
tresser - to weave
tribord m. - starboard side
tricher - to cheat
trompe f. - trumpet
tromper - to trick
trôner - to occupy a place of honor
trou m. - hole
tumulus m. - pile
uni(e) - smooth
upa-upa f. - a Tahitian dance
usage m. - custom
veille f. - day before
veillée f. - wake
velours m. - velvet
vent alisé - tradewind
verdure f. - greenery
vergue f. - yard (of a ship)
verser - to pour
vif(ve) - sharp
vitre f. - window pane
voile f. - sail
voilé(e) - equipped with a sail
voisinage m. - neighborhood
vol m. - flight
volontiers - gladly
voltiger - to dart about
voûte - vault, dome
vraisemblance f - likelihood