French word

buller

Pronunciation

IPA/byle/

Meaning

  • verblounge around

Example

Après le déjeuner, il bulle dans le jardin.

After lunch, he lounges around in the garden.

Illustration for buller (lounge around)

More examples

Pendant la pause, il bulle au lieu de travailler.

During the break, he lazes around instead of working.

Core concept

Someone drifting through a free moment in a private bubble, with no urgent aim.

Common phrases

  • buller dans le jardin

    laze around in the garden

  • buller en terrasse

    laze around on the terrace

Similar words

glander: To spend time idly with nothing in particular to occupy the time.
traîner: To loiter without direction or purpose.
flâner: To wander on foot while quietly observing the scenery.
paresser: To laze about without exerting oneself physically.

Definition in French

Ne rien faire de précis, traîner ou se détendre sans urgence ni but.

Word origin

French buller developed from bulle, 'bubble', whose Latin source is bulla; the verb applies the idea of floating in a bubble to doing nothing in particular.

Usage tips

  • Buller is normally intransitive, and a place is often introduced with dans, as in buller dans le jardin.

Other meanings

  • hang aroundverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word