Dictionary

Look up any word

9,747 words — headwords with part of speech, pronunciation, and a plain-language definition.

passer l'éponge: to forgive and forget, to wipe the slate clean
passer la bague au doigt: to put a ring on (someone's) finger, to marry; to get married
passer la brosse à reluire: to lick (someone's) boots, to flatter in a sycophantic manner
passer la main: to step down (in favour/favor of), to stand aside (in favour/favor of), to pass the mantle (to), to pass the torch (on to), to pass the baton (on to), to hand the reins (to); to hang up one's boots (in favour/favor of)
passer la parole: to give the floor to, to call on, to give (someone) a chance to speak
passer la rampe: to come off, to succeed, to go over well; to be well received
passer la seconde: to shift into second gear; to get a move on, to move up a gear, to speed things up
passer le Rubicon: to cross the Rubicon
passer le cap: to get over it; to move on
passer le fer: To iron
passer le flambeau: to step down (in favour/favor of), to stand aside (in favour/favor of), to pass the mantle (to), to pass the torch (on to), to pass the baton (on to), to hand the reins (to); to hang up one's boots (in favour/favor of)
passer le mot: to spread the word
passer le relais: to step down (in favour/favor of), to stand aside (in favour/favor of), to pass the mantle (to), to pass the torch (on to), to pass the baton (on to), to hand the reins (to); to hang up one's boots (in favour/favor of)
passer le temps: to pass the time, to kill time
passer maître: to become a master or expert
passer outre: to overlook; to ignore; to carry on regardless
passer par la tête: to cross someone's mind
passer par les armes: to execute by firing squad
passer par les mains: to pass through the hands (of)
passer ses nerfs: to take it out (on), to vent one's spleen, to vent one's gall
passer son chemin: to go on one's way, to walk by without stopping, to keep going without stopping, to move on without a halt
passer son tour: to pass, to skip one's turn; to sit something out, to give something a miss, to give something a pass
passer sous la table: to perform fellatio (in exchange for some academic or professional benefit)
passer sous le bureau: to perform fellatio (in exchange for some academic or professional benefit)
passer sous le nez: to slip through someone's fingers, to slip past, to pass by (of an occasion, opportunity, etc.)
passer sous les fourches caudines: to pass under the yoke
passer sous silence: to shill, to conceal, to omit, to leave untold, to fail to mention, to pass over
passer sur le billard: to go under the knife (to undergo a surgical procedure)
passer un sapin: to swindle
passer un savon: to tell off, to haul over the coals
passer à autre chose: to move on
passer à côté de: to miss (an opportunity, etc.)
passer à l'acte: to take action, to act, to act on something
passer à l'as: to be neglected, forgotten; to disappear inconspicuously
passer à la casserole: to kick the bucket, to die; to lose one's virginity; to get porked, to get fucked; to get raped
passer à la moulinette: to rip to shreds (mock severely); to put to the test (scrutinize)
passer à la trappe: to go down the drain, to be abandoned, to be forgotten about, to vanish into oblivion, to be left out, to go out the window
passer à la vitesse supérieure: to go up a gear, to move up a gear, to step up a gear, to shift up a gear, to move things up a gear, to speed things up, to shift into high gear, to take things up a notch, to move into overdrive
passer à tabac: to beat thoroughly, to beat to a pulp
passerage: cress (of genus Lepidium)
passereau: sparrow; passerine
passerelle: footbridge; bridge; gangway, bridge; gateway; bridging program, bridging course
passerillage: the exposure of cut bunches of grapes to the sun in order to increase the concentration of sugar prior to winemaking
passeriller: to dry bunches of grapes by exposing them to the sun prior to winemaking
passerine: passerine
passerinette: subalpine warbler
passette: strainer
passeur: passer; ferryman; smuggler; (drugs) courier
passez-moi l'expression: pardon my French, excuse my French; not to put too fine a point on it, to speak frankly
passibilité: liability
passible: punishable (appropriate for punishment)
passif: the passive voice; liability; liabilities (figurative)
passif: passive; bottom
passiflore: passion flower
passing: passing
passion: Passion, suffering; passion, enthusiasm
passionnant: evoking passion or enthusiasm; fascinating, enthralling, highly interesting
passionnel: passionate; passion
passionnellement: passionately
passionner: to impassionate, to motivate; to take an avid interest