Example: She carried a very bulky package on the bus.
en: volumineux
butt in
phrasal verb
To interrupt a conversation or discussion or someone who is talking.
Example: He kept on butting in with silly comments.
en: intervenir, interrompre
clunky
adjective
solid, heavy, old-fashionned
Example: He wore a clunky gold ring.
en: massif, important, passé de mode
consensus
noun
a general agreement
Example: Could we reach a consensus on this matter? Let's take a vote.
en: consensus
containment
noun
the action or policy of preventing the expansion of a hostile country or influence
Example: He scaled down military action, following a strategy of containment.
en: endiguement
flimsy
adjective
insubstancial and easily damaged
Example: You won't be warm enough in that flimsy dress.
en: fragile
gig economy
noun
a labour market characterized by the prevalence of short-term contracts or freelance work as opposed to permanent jobs.
Example: It's a tacit admission that gig economy platforms may ultimately be an app-powered temporary employment agency rather than a revolutionary new form of work.
en: economie des petits boulots / économie de concert
grand larceny
phrase
theft of personal property having a value above a legally specified amount.
Example: Someone stole my new car and was arrested for grand larceny.
en: vol qualifié
hammer out (something)
phrasal verb
To reach an agreement or solution after a lot of argument or discussion.
Example: Three years after the accident the lawyers finally managed to hammer out a settlement with the insurance company.
en: négocier / trouver un accord
hegemony
noun
leadership or dominance, especially by one state or social group over others.
Example: They paid taxes, obeyed administrators and contributed to military conscription, but strived to maintain cultural hegemony over what they considered as their sacred space.
en: hégémonie
heiress
noun
a woman who is legally entitled to the property or rank of another on that person's death.
Example: According to the legislation, an heir or heiress with a larger share could buy out the others if the farm was too small to divide.
en: héritière
high-end
adjective
Product of very good quality and usually expensive.
Example: Improvements to low-cost, commodity products really threaten high-end manufacturers.
en: Haut de gamme
husbandry
noun
the care, cultivation, and breeding of crops and animals
Example: On the other hand, husbandry flourished by raising goats, sheep, oxen, horses, swine and other animals.
en: élevage
lining
noun
layer of different material covering the inside surface of something
Example: The lining of my jacket is torn.
en: une doublure
no-frills
adjective
without unnecessary extras, especially ones for decoration or additional comfort
Example: It's a no-frills store supplying only basic goods at affordable prices.
en: sans fioritures
process
noun
a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end
Example: Increasing the number of women in top management jobs will be a slow process.
en: processus
publicity
noun
The activity of making certain that someone or something attracts a lot of interest or attention from many people, or the attention received as a result of this activity.
Example: He attracted a lot of bad publicity with his speech about unmarried mothers.
en: publicité
retailer
noun
A person, shop, or business that sells goods to the public.
Example: Manufacturers and retailers are responding to growing consumer demand.
en: détaillant / revendeur
scalability
noun
the capacity to be changed in size or scale
Example: There are doubts about the profitability and the scalability of the company's web business.
en: évolutivité
scoop back
phrase
a low back on a dress
Example: The styles and models are classic, with a body with a scoop back.
en: un dos échancré
Shift dress
noun
a straight dress
Example: Shift dresses are often quite shapeless, and if you don't have slim legs they can be unflattering.
en: une robe droite
sink in
phrasal verb
If an unpleasant or surprising fact or idea sinks in, you gradually start to believe it, understand it, or realize the effect it will have on you.
Example: How many times do I have to tell you something before it sinks in?
en: assimiler
slaughterhouse
noun
a place where animals are killed for their meat
Example: Cross-contamination from offal will occur directly or indirectly via equipment, air and food handlers in slaughterhouses, retail outlets and residential kitchens.
en: abattoir
snowed under
idiom
having too much to do
Example: I am totally snowed under at school.
en: être submergé
sympathetic
adjective
Used to describe someone who shows, especially by what they say, that they understand and care about someone else's suffering.
Example: She just needed someone who would lend a sympathetic ear to her once in a while.
en: sympathique, compatissant
to convey
verb
to transport or carry to a place
OU
transfer the title to (property)
Example: His poetry conveys a great sense of religious devotion.
en: véhiculer
to cut costs
phrase
to spend less money
Example: We needed to cut costs after our latest hollidays.
en: réduire les costs
tone something down
phrasal verb
To make something less forceful or offensive, usually a piece of writing or a speech.
Example: Some of the language in the original play has been toned down for the television version.
en: atténuer
tool
noun
a device or implement, especially one held in the hand, used to carry out a particular function
Example: A free low-interest credit card can be a useful budgeting tool.
en: outil
write off (debt)
phrasal verb
To accept that an amount of money has been lost or that a debt will not be paid.
Example: The World Bank is being urged to write off debts from developing countries.