E

To get ‘conned’, ‘diddled’, to be duped. b To get ‘collared’, ‘nabbed’, to be arrested. 3 Un petit coup sur le manche, faut-il vous l’envelopper?! (iron.): You want jam on it, don’t you?!—You don’t seriously expect me to do more?! (This jocular and rather sarcastic utterance is said to have originated in butchers’ shops where a special customer is made to feel that nothing is too much trouble.) enviandé n. m. (pej.): 1 ‘Pouf’, ‘pansy’, homosexual. 2 ‘Nurk’, ‘pillock’, idiot. 3 Espèce d’enviandé! You fucking bastard! (This highly insulting utterance contains a direct reference to sodomy.) enviander v. trans. To ‘con’, to ‘diddle’, to swindle. envie n. f. 1 Ce n’est pas l’envie qui me manque! (iron.): Do you think I’d hesitate?!—I’d go ahead and do it if I could! 2 Avoir envie (Child language): To want to do a wee-wee, to nced to go to the W.C. envoyer v. trans. 1 Les envoyer. To ‘show the colour of one’s money’, to pay up (also: envoyer la soudure). 2 En envoyer une: To ‘chip in with a tune’, to contribute something to a sing-song. 3 Je ne le lui ai pas envoyé dire! No messing, I told him straight! Ça c’est envoyé! That’s telling him! envoyer v. pronom. 1 General meaning: to consume and enjoy something. a S’envoyer un godet: To down a drink. b S’envoyer un gueuleton: To have a slapup meal. c S’envoyer une nana: To ‘get a leg over’, to ‘screw a bird’, to have coition. S’envoyer en l’air: To have sex. 2 General meaning: to have to do something unpleasant. S’envoyer tout le boulot: To have to do all the work. S’envoyer la vaisselle: To be landed with the washing-up. épagneul n. m. Avoir une gueule d’épagneul fidèle: To have a forlorn and pensive expression. épahules n. f. pl. (joc. corr. épaules): ‘Shouldies’, shoulders. Avoir les épahules en bouteille de Bordeaux (of man): To be of puny build. épais adv. En avoir épais sur la coupole: To be ‘sick and tired of something’, to be fed up to the back teeth with a situation. épaisseur n. f. En tenir une épaisseur: To be ‘as thick as two short planks’, to be more than a trifle dim (also: en tenir une sacrée couche). éparpiller v. trans. En éparpiller de première: To ‘sleep like a top’, to be fast asleep. épatamment adv. ‘Spiffingly’, splendidly. (The French and English are equally twee and dated.) épatant adj. ‘Groovy’, ‘smashing’, great. épate n. f. 1 Swanking. Faire de l’épate: To ‘throw one’s weight about’, to show off. Faire quelque chose a l’épate: To ‘make a splash’, to do something with panache. 2 Faire des épates: To ‘kick up a fuss’, to create a commotion. épater v. trans. & intrans. 1 To ‘stagger’, to astound. Eh ben, ça, ça m’epate! Well, I’m flabbergasted! 2 To ‘swank’, to show off. épaule n. f. 1 Donner un coup d’épaule: To ‘give a push in the right direction’, to help someone or something on its way. 2 En avoir par-dessus les épaules (de quelque chose): To be ‘fed up to the back teeth with something’, to be sick and

tired of something. 3 Faire quelque chose pardessus l’épaule: To do something in an off-hand and perfunctory manner. épaulé-jeté n. m. Mighty heave. (The term comes directly from the language of weightlifters. Il l’a foutu àZ la baille d’un épaulé-jeté: He tossed him in the drink effortlessly.) épée n. f. 1 ‘Big shot’, important person in the milieu. 2 ‘Ace’, expert at a skill. Pour ce qui est de la mécanique, c’est une épée: He knows engineering inside out. 3 Epée de plumard: ‘Superstud’, highly-sexed man. éperdument adv. Se foutre de quelque chose éperdument: ‘Not to give a fuck about something’, to feel totally indifferent towards something. épice n. f. Marchand d’épices (pej.): ‘Chink’, person of oriental extraction. épicemar n. m. (joc.): Grocer. J’ai acheté ça à l’épicemar: I bought it at the corner-shop. épicerie n. f. Changer d’épicerie: a To change one’s surroundings. b To change one’s job. Epinal Proper name. C’est tout Epinal! (iron.): He doesn’t miss a cliché! (The expression is usually uttered when reference is made to a cheap piece of journalism.) épinards n. m. pl. 1 Plat d’épinards: Gaudilypainted landscape, canvas high in colour and low in quality. 2 Mettre du beurre dans les épinards: To make financial matters easier. Les heures supplémentaires, ça met du beurre dans les épinards: Overtime certainly helps stretch the house-keeping. 3 Aller aux épinards (of pimp): To be ‘in financial clover’, to live in the lap of luxury. épingle n. f. 1 Tirer son épingle du jeu: To ‘pull out in time’, to save one’s stakes in a tricky venture. 2 Monter quelque chose en épingle: To make a songand-dance about something, to draw attention to it. 3 Etre tiré à quatre épingles: To be ‘dressed to the nines’, to look a proper fashion-plate. 4 Ramasser des épingles (joc. & iron.): To go looking for the ‘golden rivet’, to practise passive sodomy. épingler v. trans. To ‘nick’, to ‘collar’, to arrest. (LE CAPORAL ÉPINGLÉ, a novel by Jacques Perret and later a successful film, narrates the story of a French prisoner of war during the Second World War.) épique adj. Ça a été vraiment épique! (joc. & iron.): What a carry-on!—What a to-do over nothing! épluchure n. f. (Fais) gaffe aux épluchures! Watch out!—Watch your step!— Take care! éponge n. f. 1 Passer l’éponge: To ‘let bygones be bygones’, to decide to forget the past. 2 Jeter léponge: To ‘throw in the towel’, to give in. (As with the English, the expression originates in the language of boxing.) 3 Une vieille éponge: An ‘old soak’, a habitual drunk. 4 Avoir les éponges mitées: To have T.B., to suffer from tuberculosis. (In this expression, the word éponges refers to the lungs.)

éponger v. trans. 1 To ‘relieve someone of his money’ (either through theft, gambling or deceitful business practices). 2 Eponger un clille (of prostitute): To have intercourse. époque n. f. Ça fait époque: It’s certainly dated —It’s more than old-fashioned. époques n. f. pl. Avoir ses époques: To have one’s ‘thingies’, to have a menstrual period. épousseter v. intrans. To ‘scram’, to ‘bugger off’, to make a hasty withdrawal. Epoussette! Piss off! époustouflant adj. ‘Stunning’, ‘staggering’, astounding. La nouvelle est vraiment époustouflante! This is really news! époustoufler v. trans. To ‘flabbergast’, to astound. Ça m’a drôlement époustouflé! You could have knocked me down with a feather! épouvantail n. m. ‘Abortion’, abominable work of art. équerre n. f. Etre a l’équerre (of person): To be ‘on the level’, to be an honest and truthful person. J’ai senti tout de suite qu’il n’etait pas à l’équerre avec moi: I felt straight away he was being shifty with me. équiper v. trans. reflex. To ‘get rodded-up’, to arm oneself with a handgun. équipier n. m. (Underworld slang): ‘Fellow hood’, accomplice. éreintant adj. ‘Fagging’, ‘back-breaking’, exhausting. éreintement n. m. ‘Slating’, scathing criticism. éreinter v. trans. 1 To ‘jigger’, to tire out, to exhaust. Ce boulot m’ereinte un tantinet! This job isn’t half back-breaking! 2 To ‘drive someone round the twist’, to irritate someone to distraction. 3 To ‘carp at’, to ‘pull to pieces’, to criticize severely. éreinteur n. m. (th.): ‘Scalp-hunter’, severe critic. ergoter v. intrans. To ‘quibble’, to ‘niggle’, to argue over small details. erreur n. f. 1 ‘y a comme qui dirait une erreur! (iron.): I’d say we’ve got a major cock-up here! 2 Erreur d’aiguillage (Joc.): Wrong direction taken by visitor, dossier, etc. esballonner v. pronom. To go over the wall, to escape from jail. esbigner v. pronom. To ‘skedaddle’, to ‘scram’, to disappear hastily. S’esbigner en douce: To slip away unnoticed. esbrouffant adj. ‘Mind-boggling’, unbelievable. C’est vraiment esbrouffant! It’s really incredible! esbrouffe n. f. 1 De l’esbrouffe: ‘Swanking’, action of showing off. Faire de l’esbrouffe: To chuck one’s weight about. 2 Faire quelque chose à l’esbrouffe: To succeed in something by bluffing one’s way along. 3 Vol a l’esbrouffe: ‘Shuffle and-snatch’ pickpocket robbery (one where an accomplice jostles a passer-by whilst the thief makes off with the money). esbrouffer v. trans. To overawe, to impress with grandiose behaviour. esbrouffeur n. m. 1 ‘Swank’, show-off. 2 Pick pocket’s accomplice. escadrin n. m. Steps, stairs, staircase. escagasser v. trans. 1 To dumbfound, to leave speechless. Ça m’a drôlement escagassé! I really didn’t know what to say! 2 To ‘knock out cold’, to leave

unconscious. 3 To ‘bump off’, to kill. (The general meaning of the verb is to silence; it originates from Provence.) escalope n. f. 1 ‘Licker’, tongue. Rouler une escalope: To give a ‘French kiss’ (also: rouler une galoche). 2 Divot, piece of turf scooped out by a golf club. 3 (pl.): ‘Flappers’, ‘lugs’, ears. escampette n. f. Prendre la poudre d’escampette: To ‘skedaddle’, to ‘make tracks’, to disappear hastily. escaner v. trans. To ‘con’, to ‘diddle’, to swindle. (The word originates from Provence.) escarette n. f. Se faire l’escarette a To ‘scram’, to ‘skedaddle’, to disappear hastily (also: se faire la paire). b To go over the wall, to escape from jail (also: faire le mur). escargot n. m. 1 ‘Slow-coach’, person who always arrives late. 2 ‘Blower’, phone, telephone. escarpe n. m. ‘Heavy’, thug, underworld enforcer. escarpins n. m. pl. (joc.): ‘Boats’, largeshoes. (The humour comes from the original meaning of the word: dainty, delicate shoes. Georgette Marks, in her dictionary, quotes the example escarpins en cuir de brouette: Galoshes.) esclaffade n. f. Guffaw, boisterous outburst of laughter. escobar n. m. Steps, stairs, staircase. escoffier v. trans. (Underworld slang): To ‘bump off’, to kill. escogriffe n. m. (pej.): ‘Gawk’, tall and angular character. Et v’là que ce grand escogriffe vient pour m’empmnter du fric! And then that tall pillock has the nerve to ask me for a loan. esgourder v. trans, To listen attentively. esgourdes n.f.pl. ‘Lugs’, ‘flappers’, ears. Ouvre bien tes esgourdes! Pin back your lug-holes!— Now listen carefully! espadoches n. f. pl. (corr. espadrilles): Rope-soled sandals. espagnol adj. ‘C’est comme dans une auberge espagnole’ (joc. & iron.): ‘You gets what you pays for!’ (Popular myth has it that in such establishments one only got served the food one brought along. Subsequently the meaning of the expression has shifted slightly.) espèce n.f. Espèce de crétin! You stupid pillock! Espèce d’idiot! You blithering idiot! (Preceded by espèce de, terms of abuse become even more virulent.) espérance n. f. Avoir des espérances (joc.): To be in the ‘pudding club’, to be ‘preggers’, to be pregnant. (The original meaning of the expression is that the person concerned is very likely to inherit a large sum of money.) espérer v. intrans. & trans. 1 Espérer après quelqu’un: To wait for someone (usually in vain). 2 J’espère! (iron.): I should bloody well think so! 3 Espère un peu! (joc. & iron.): You’ve got another think coming!—You must be joking! Espingo n. m. 1 ‘Dago’, Spaniard. 2 L’espingo: Spanish, the Spanish language. espion n. m. (sch.): Discipline monitor in a French lycée. (The jocularity of the word stems from the corruption of the word pion, the colloquial term for a

surveillant d’externat whose main function is to exercise discipline in the absence of teachers.) espionnite n. f. (joc.): ‘Spy-fever’, near-neurotic obsession with spies and spying. De ce côté-ci du rideau de fer, il y en a pas mal qui souffrent d’espionnite: ‘Reds under the bed’ seems to be a current obsession over here. espoir n. m. 1 ‘Hopeful’, likely candidate for success. C’est un espoir français de la boxe: He’s likely to be one of tomorrow’s top French boxers. 2 Les espoirs anglais et français ont fait match nul: In the junior internationals the French and English football teams had a draw. esprit n. m. Avoir l’esprit mal tourné: To have a one-track mind (and a dirty one at that!). esquimau n. m. 1 Wind-cheater with a fur-lined hood. 2 ‘Choc-ice’, chocolatecoated icecream sold in cinemas. esquintant adj. ‘Fagging’, ‘back-breaking’, exhausting. esquinter v. trans. 1 To ‘bugger up’, to damage. Il m’a esquinté ma bagnole neuve: He went and pranged my new car. 2 To ‘jigger’, to tire out. esquinter v. trans. reflex. To try one’s darnedest, to do one’s best (and wear oneself out in the process). Et dire que je me suis esquintée à vous élever tous les deux! And to think how I tried to bring you two up properly! essayer v. intrans. Tu peux toujours essayer! (iron.): Just you try (and you’ll see what happens to you!). essence n. f. Essence de panard (joc.): ‘Toe-jam’, sticky sweat produced by feet. essorer v. trans. To ‘wring someone dry’, to make someone penniless. essoreuse n. f. 1 ‘Prozzy’, prostitute. 2 Noisy motorbike. (This meaning is only attested in François Caradec’s DICTIONNAIRE DU FRANÇAIS ARGOTIQUE ET POPULAIRE.) essuyer v. trans. 1 Essuyer le coup: To show one’s feelings of disappointment at a setback. 2 Essuyer les plâtres: To suffer teething problems in a new venture. (Originally the meaning of the expression was literal and referred to the problems experienced by someone moving into newly-built premises.) 3 Essuyer lesplanches (th.): To have the difficult task of ‘warming up an audience’ at a variety show. estafette n. f. Small box-van. (Like many tradenames, this Renault product became generic in the 60s and 70s.) estampage n. m. ‘Con-job’, confidence trick. estamper v. trans. To ‘con’, to ‘diddle’, to swindle. (The verb is often encountered in the context of overcharging in a restaurant.) estampeur n. m. ‘Con-merchant’, trickster, swindler. (As with estamper, the word is often encountered in the context of overcharging in a restaurant.) estanco n. m. (corr. estaminet): ‘Watering-hole’, pub, licensed drinking establishment. estom n. m. (abbr. estomac): ‘Belly’, stomach. estomac n. m. 1 Avoir l’estomac dans les talons: To feel famished, to be ravenous, to feel very hungry. 2 Avoir quelque chose sur l’estomac. To feel

resentful about something. Ça m’est resté sur l’estomac: It still rankles with me. 3 Avoir de l’estomac: To be ‘gutsy’, to have what it takes in the face of adversity. 4 Faire quelque chose à l’estomac: To bluff one’s way through. estomaquer v. trans. To ‘bowl over’, to ‘flabbergast’, to dumbfound. estoquer v. trans. 1 To wallop good and hard, to smack with vigour. 2 To ‘pull a fast one’ on someone, to diddle someone with a neat con-trick. estourbir v. trans. 1 To ‘biff over the head’, to knock out cold, to render unconscious. 2 To ‘bump off’, to kill. estrasse n. f. Road, street. (The word is a direct borrowing from the German Strasse.) établi n. m. Aller a l’établi: To go to the ‘sweat-shop’, to go to work. étage n. f. Monter a l’étage (of prostitute): To have sex. étagères n. f. pl. Etagères à mégots: ‘Flappers’, ears. (This jocular term aptly describes the French habit of leaving half-consumed cigarettes parked behind the ear.) étal n. m. (abbr. étalage) Fauche à l’étal: Market-filching, petty thieving from stalls. étaler v. trans. En étaler. To ‘swank’, to show off. étaler v. pronom. 1 To fall flat on one’s face, to go sprawling. 2 To ‘blab’, to ‘blabber’, to talk indiscreetly. (In the context of the underworld, the verb can mean to ‘snitch’, to inform on an accomplice.) étape n. f. Brûler les étapes: To rush things. état n. m. Etre dans tous ses états: To be ‘all of a dither’, to be ‘in a real state’, to be extremely upset. étau n. m. ‘Pussy’, ‘fanny’, vagina. Descente à l’étau: Cunnilingus. été n. m. Se mettre en été: To ‘put one’s summer togs on’, to get into lightweight clothing. éteignoir n. m. 1 (joc.): ‘Conk’, ‘snout’, nose. 2 ‘Wet blanket’, killjoy. 3 (pl.): ‘Blinkers’, ‘peepers’, eyes. étendards n. m. pl. (joc.): Undergarments strung along a washing-line. étendre v. trans. 1 To knock out cold. Le champion the count in no time at all. 2 Se faire étendre: l’a étendu en cinq secs: The champ had him out for a (sch.): To get ‘ploughed’ at an exam, to be failed in an examination. b (Gambling slang): To get ‘cleaned out’, to lose all one’s money. c To get ‘bumped off’, to get ‘done in’, to be killed. Son paternel s’est fait étendre m ‘14 avec les copains: His old man got his chips with the other poor buggers in World War I. éterniser v. pronom. S’éterniser chez quelqu’un: To outstay one’s welcome, to stay longer somewhere than one should. éternité n. f. Ça fait une éternité qu’on ne s’est pas vus! It seems like ages since we met! éternuer v. intrans. Eternuer dans leson (also: dans la sciure): To die of decapitation under the guillotine (because the severed head falls into a bran tub).