French word

arracher

Pronunciation

IPA/aʁaʃe/

Meaning

  • verbpull out

Example

Le dentiste m'a arraché la dent.

The dentist pulled out my tooth.

Illustration for arracher (pull out)

More examples

Le voleur lui a arraché son sac dans la rue.

The thief snatched her bag in the street.

Core concept

A forceful pull breaks something free from its hold, whether from a place or from another person.

Common phrases

  • arracher un sac

    snatch a bag

  • arracher un poster

    rip off a poster

Similar words

enlever: To take something away from its location.
tirer: To draw something toward oneself or away from its position.
ôter: To take off something worn or remove something from a surface.

Definition in French

Extraire ou enlever violemment quelque chose en le tirant, ou l'ôter à quelqu'un contre sa volonté.

Word origin

Arracher comes through Old French esrachier from Late Latin exradicare, built from ex- meaning 'out' and radix meaning 'root'.

Usage tips

  • The pattern arracher quelque chose à quelqu'un means wrest something from someone, while arracher un sourire means elicit a smile.

Other meanings

  • tear offverb
  • snatchverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word