French Conversation · Level 121
59 words
French word
faucher
Pronunciation
IPA/foʃe/
Meaning
- verbmow
Example
Il faut faucher le champ avant l'été.
The field must be mowed before summer.
More examples
Chaque été, ils fauchent le foin tôt le matin.
Every summer, they mow the hay early in the morning.
Core concept
One swift sweep clears a row of plants or carries an object away before its owner can react.
Common phrases
faucher le foin
mow the hay
faucher le pré
mow the meadow
Similar words
voler: Take another person's property without permission.
couper: Cut something into pieces or sections with a blade.
arracher: Pull a plant or object out from the ground by its roots or base.
tondre: Cut grass or hair short and evenly.
Definition in French
En langage familier, prendre subrepticement quelque chose à quelqu'un; au sens propre, couper ou récolter des plantes.
Word origin
The verb faucher developed from Old French fauchier, which derives from Latin falciare and ultimately from falx, the Latin word for 'sickle'.
Usage tips
- In the informal construction faucher quelque chose à quelqu'un, the direct object is the thing taken and à quelqu'un identifies its former holder.