French word

clouer

Pronunciation

IPA/klue/

Meaning

  • verbnail

Example

Il cloue la planche au mur.

He nails the board to the wall.

Illustration for clouer (nail)

More examples

Je vais clouer ce cadre cet après-midi.

I'm going to nail this frame to the wall this afternoon.

Core concept

A nail driven deep, holding wood fast and leaving no room to move or look away.

Common phrases

  • clouer un cadre au mur

    nail a frame to the wall

  • clouer une affiche

    nail up a poster

  • clouer un panneau

    nail up a sign

Similar words

fixer: To attach an object securely to another object.
visser: To fasten something by turning a screw.
enfoncer: To push something farther into a place with force.
étonner: To cause strong surprise.

Definition in French

Fixer solidement un objet en enfonçant un clou; au figuré, immobiliser quelqu'un ou retenir fortement l'attention.

Word origin

French clouer comes from clou, from Old French and ultimately Latin clavus, with -er forming a verb for fastening with a nail.

Usage tips

  • In figurative uses, clouer can take a person as its object, while clouer le bec means to silence someone and is colloquial and forceful.

Other meanings

  • pinverb

Opposites

  • retirerremoveverb
  • dévisserunscrewverb

Related words

  • reclouernail againverb
  • cloueurnailernoun
  • clouénailedadjective

Word lists with this word