French word

tirailler

Pronunciation

IPA/tiʁaje/

Meaning

  • verbgnaw at

Example

La faim me tiraillait.

Hunger was gnawing at me.

Illustration for tirailler (gnaw at)

More examples

Mon estomac me tiraillait pendant la réunion.

My stomach was aching during the meeting.

Core concept

A body or mind repeatedly tugged off balance by discomfort or competing directions.

Common phrases

  • avoir le ventre qui tiraille

    have a stomach that aches

Similar words

déchirer: To leave someone torn by intensely conflicting emotions.
tirer: To pull something by exerting force.
picoter: To cause a persistent, fine, needle-like prickling sensation.

Definition in French

Décrire une sensation intermittente, souvent la faim ou une gêne sourde ; au figuré, signifier être tiraillé entre plusieurs options.

Word origin

French tirailler preserves the pulling idea of tirer and adds a suffix suggesting repeated action, linking repeated tugs with hunger pangs and divided feelings.

Usage tips

  • In être tiraillé entre A et B, tiraillé agrees with the person, while entre introduces the competing alternatives.

Other meanings

  • pullverb
  • be tornverb

Opposites

Related words

  • tiraillantachingadjective

Word lists with this word