Adjacent Words

French definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

FRENCH, a. Pertaining to France or its inhabitants.
French Chalk, scaly talc, a variety of indurated talc, in masses composed of small scales; its color is pearly white or grayish.
FRENCH, n. The language spoken by the people of France.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: of or pertaining to France or the people of France; "French cooking"; "a Gallic shrug" [syn: French, Gallic] n
1: the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
2: the people of France [syn: French, French people]
3: United States sculptor who created the seated marble figure of Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. (1850-1931) [syn: French, Daniel Chester French] v
1: cut (e.g, beans) lengthwise in preparation for cooking; "French the potatoes"

Merriam Webster's

transitive verb Usage: often capitalized Date: circa 1895 1. to trim the meat from the end of the bone of (as a chop) 2. to cut (green beans) in thin lengthwise strips before cooking

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Old English frencisc, from Franca Frank Date: before 12th century 1. of, relating to, or characteristic of France, its people, or their language 2. of or relating to the overseas descendants of the French people • Frenchness noun II. noun Date: 12th century 1. a Romance language that developed out of the Vulgar Latin spoken in northern and central Transalpine Gaul and that became the literary and official language of France 2. plural in construction the French people 3. strong language <pardon my French> III. biographical name Daniel Chester 1850-1931 American sculptor

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. & n. --adj. 1 of or relating to France or its people or language. 2 having the characteristics attributed to the French people. --n. 1 the language of France, also used in Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, and elsewhere. 2 (the French) (pl.) the people of France. 3 colloq. bad language (excuse my French). 4 colloq. dry vermouth (gin and French). Phrases and idioms: French bean Brit. 1 a beanplant, Phaseolus vulgaris, having many varieties cultivated for their pods and seeds. 2 a the pod used as food. b the seed used as food: also called HARICOT, kidney bean. French bread white bread in a long crisp loaf. French Canadian n. a Canadian whose principal language is French. --adj. of or relating to French-speaking Canadians. French chalk a kind of steatite used for marking cloth and removing grease and as a dry lubricant. French cricket an informal type of cricket without stumps and played with a soft ball. French cuff a cuff of double thickness. French curve a template used for drawing curved lines. French door = French window. French dressing a salad dressing of vinegar and oil, usu. seasoned. French fried potatoes (US French fries) potato chips. French horn a coiled brass wind instrument with a wide bell. French kiss a kiss with one partner's tongue inserted in the other's mouth. French knickers wide-legged knickers. French leave absence without permission. French letter Brit. colloq. a condom. French mustard Brit. a mild mustard mixed with vinegar. French polish shellac polish for wood. French-polish v.tr. polish with this. French roof a mansard. French seam a seam with the raw edges enclosed. French toast 1 Brit. bread buttered on one side and toasted on the other. 2 bread dipped in egg and milk and fried. French vermouth dry vermouth. French window a glazed door in an outside wall, serving as a window and door. Derivatives: Frenchness n. Etymology: OE frencisc f. Gmc

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Sole Sole, n. [F. sole, L. solea; -- so named from its flat shape. See Sole of the foot.] (Zo["o]l.) (a) Any one of several species of flatfishes of the genus Solea and allied genera of the family Soleid[ae], especially the common European species (Solea vulgaris), which is a valuable food fish. (b) Any one of several American flounders somewhat resembling the true sole in form or quality, as the California sole (Lepidopsetta bilineata), the long-finned sole (Glyptocephalus zachirus), and other species. Lemon, or French, sole (Zo["o]l.), a European species of sole (Solea pegusa). Smooth sole (Zo["o]l.), the megrim.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

French French (fr[e^]nch), a. [AS. frencisc, LL. franciscus, from L. Francus a Frank: cf. OF. franceis, franchois, fran[,c]ois, F. fran[,c]ais. See Frank, a., and cf. Frankish.] Of or pertaining to France or its inhabitants. French bean (Bot.), the common kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). French berry (Bot.), the berry of a species of buckthorn (Rhamnus catharticus), which affords a saffron, green or purple pigment. French casement (Arch.) See French window, under Window. French chalk (Min.), a variety of granular talc; -- used for drawing lines on cloth, etc. See under Chalk. French cowslip (Bot.) The Primula Auricula. See Bear's-ear. French fake (Naut.), a mode of coiling a rope by running it backward and forward in parallel bends, so that it may run freely. French honeysuckle (Bot.) a plant of the genus Hedysarum (H. coronarium); -- called also garland honeysuckle. French horn, a metallic wind instrument, consisting of a long tube twisted into circular folds and gradually expanding from the mouthpiece to the end at which the sound issues; -- called in France cor de chasse. French leave, an informal, hasty, or secret departure; esp., the leaving a place without paying one's debts. French pie [French (here used in sense of ``foreign'') + pie a magpie (in allusion to its black and white color)] (Zo["o]l.), the European great spotted woodpecker (Dryobstes major); -- called also wood pie. French polish. (a) A preparation for the surface of woodwork, consisting of gums dissolved in alcohol, either shellac alone, or shellac with other gums added. (b) The glossy surface produced by the application of the above. French purple, a dyestuff obtained from lichens and used for coloring woolen and silken fabrics, without the aid of mordants. --Ure. French red rouge. French rice, amelcorn. French roof (Arch.), a modified form of mansard roof having a nearly flat deck for the upper slope. French tub, a dyer's mixture of protochloride of tin and logwood; -- called also plum tub. --Ure. French window. See under Window.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

French French, n. 1. The language spoken in France. 2. Collectively, the people of France.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. French means belonging or relating to France, or its people, language, or culture. ADJ 2. The French are the people who come from France. N-PLURAL 3. French is the language spoken by people who live in France and in parts of some other countries, including Belgium, Canada, and Switzerland. The villagers spoke French.