French Conversation · Level 127
45 words
French word
moucher
Pronunciation
IPA/muʃe/
Meaning
- verbblow one's nose
Example
Il faut se moucher avant de sortir.
You need to blow your nose before going out.
More examples
Pendant un rhume, il faut souvent se moucher.
When you have a cold, you often need to blow your nose.
Core concept
A forceful breath clears the nose, snuffs out a flame, or knocks confidence out of someone.
Common phrases
se moucher
blow your nose
se moucher discrètement
blow your nose discreetly
se moucher en public
blow your nose in public
Similar words
se moucher: Clears one's nose by blowing air through it.
renifler: Takes short, noisy breaths through the nose to check its condition or detect a smell.
éternuer: Reflexively blasts air out to remove irritants from the nose or throat.
Definition in French
Souffler pour débarrasser le nez de sécrétions (se moucher); au sens figuré, éteindre d'un souffle ou faire perdre contenance à quelqu'un.
Word origin
French moucher comes through Old French mouchier from a Latin verb related to mucus, the word for nasal discharge.
Usage tips
- In the nose-clearing sense, standard French uses the reflexive form se moucher, as in Il faut se moucher.