ABSTRACT
B.A. n. f. (abbr. bonne action) Faire sa B.A. (joc. & iron.): To do one’s daily good deed. (The expression originates from the language of Scouting; in colloquial speech, the good deed can have a variety of tongue-in-cheek meanings.) B.A.—ba n. m. C’est le B.A.-ba de la réussite dans les affaires: It’s the ABC of success in business. baba n. m. 1 ‘Pussy’, ‘fanny’, vagina. 2 Arsehole, anal sphincter. 3 L’avoir dans le baba: To ‘have been had’, ‘diddled’, to have been conned. baba adj. inv. ‘Bowled over’, ‘flabbergasted’, speechless. J’en suis resté baba! I just couldn’t say a word! (The image here is of one who is bouche bée.) babafier v. trans. (joc.): To ‘bowl over’, to ‘flab bergast’, to dumbfound. babanquer v. intrans. To ‘whoop it up’, to lead a fast and furious life (also: bambocher). babillard n. m. 1 ‘Mouthpiece’, solicitor. 2 ‘Rag’, ‘sheet’, newspaper. babillarde n. f. Letter, item of correspondence. Il nefait que luipondn des babillardes! He just never seems to stop writing to her! (also: babille). babin n. m. ‘Gob’, ‘trap’, mouth. babines n. f. pl. (also: babouines): ‘Chops’, lips. C’était un gâteau fantastique à s’en pourlécher les babines! It was a right mouth-watering cake! Se caler les babines (also: s’en mettre plein les babines): To ‘stuff one’s face’, to eat a lot. babiole n. f 1 ‘Knick-knack’, thing of little value. 2 Small ailment, minor (health) disorder. (Expressions such as avoir une babiole au cœur relate to a serious health disorder where the gravity of the ailment is being played down.) babyfoot n. m. (also: baby-foot): Miniature football (the kind of bar game where two or four players operate a number of handles controlling wooden swivelling football players. The standard expression is faire un babyfoot). bac n. m. 1 (abbr. baccalauréat): The exam of that name. Il n’a jamais passe son bac: He never did get his A-levels. 2 (abbr. baccarat): Casino card-game of that name.
