French Conversation · Level 9
88 words
French word
noyer
Pronunciation
IPA/nwaje/
Meaning
- verbdrown
Example
Il a noyé son ami.
He drowned his friend.
More examples
La pluie a noyé le jardin.
The rain has flooded the garden.
Core concept
Water closes over someone and removes the air needed to breathe; figuratively, an overwhelming mass leaves someone unable to cope.
Common phrases
noyer quelqu'un
drown someone
noyer le poisson
muddy the waters
noyer une plante
overwater a plant
Similar words
étouffer: Suffocate someone by obstructing the mouth or throat.
submerger: Submerge something completely beneath water or another liquid.
engloutir: Overwhelm and swallow someone or something in a mass of water or other material.
Definition in French
Enfoncer quelqu'un sous l'eau au point de l'empêcher de respirer ; emploi figuré pour submerger quelqu'un d'objets, d'informations ou de tâches.
Word origin
French inherited noyer from Old French noier, which derives from Latin necare and narrowed from 'to kill' to death by drowning.
Usage tips
- With a person as its object, noyer normally means 'to drown', whereas the figurative sense often appears with sous, as in noyer quelqu'un sous les tâches.