French Conversation · Level 88
60 words
French word
tordre
Pronunciation
IPA/tɔʁdʁ/
Meaning
- verbtwist
Example
Je tords la serviette.
I twist the towel.
More examples
Elle s'est tordue de rire.
She doubled over laughing.
Core concept
Two hands turn opposite ends of a cloth or object, forcing it into a twist.
Common phrases
tordre une serviette
wring out a towel
se tordre de douleur
writhe in pain
tordre les paroles
twist someone's words
Similar words
tourner: Rotating an object or body part around an axis.
plier: Folding paper or cloth to create a crease or corner.
serrer: Gripping or tightening something with force.
essorer: Wringing washed cloth to force out its water.
Definition in French
Appliquer une torsion à quelque chose en le pliant ou en le tournant.
Word origin
French tordre is an inherited verb from Latin torquere, 'to twist', through the historical development of French.
Usage tips
- Tordre focuses on twisting, whereas essorer focuses on removing liquid, so a twisted towel is not necessarily being wrung out.