french

name

1. (uncountable)The language of France, shared by the neighboring countries Belgium, Monaco, and Switzerland and by former French colonies around the world.

   “She speaks French.”

   “Ne mowe we alle Latin wite... Ne French...”

   “I... wolde also be bolde in such french as is peculiare to the lawys of this realme, to leue it wyth them in wrytynge to.”

   “I could speak but little French.”

   “Thus, complementary to the French of France, the Quebecois (and in a lesser degree the Frenches of Africa, Swiss French, etc.) would constitute languages in their own right.”

2. (uncountable)The ability of a person to communicate in French.

   “My French is a little rusty.”

   “[Racine's] language is the language of the times, and that of the purest sort; so that his French is reckoned a standard.”

3. (uncountable)French language and literature as an object of study.

   “I'm taking French next semester.”

4. (euphemistic, ironic, often, uncountable)Vulgar language.

   “Pardon my French.”

   “The enraged headsman spares no 'bad French' in explaining his motives.”

   “Cameron: Pardon my French, but you're an asshole!”

   “The book... is a welcome change from theory-infected academic discourse, pardon my French.”

5. (countable)A surname originating as an ethnonym.

   “Dawn French.”

   “David French was a high profile #nevertrump conservative who even toyed with running for president against him.”

noun

1. (collective, countable, in-plural, uncountable)The people of France; groups of French people.

   “The Hundred Years' War was fought between the English and the French.”

   “Under the Fourth Republic, more and more French unionized.”

   “[…]to breake the necke of the wicked purposes & plots of the French[…]”

   “Such is the nature and complexion of the frenches, that they are worth nothing, but at the first push.”

   “On the way, scouts reported that some French were heading toward them across the ice.”

2. (dated, slang, uncountable)Synonym of oral sex, especially fellatio.

   “French--^([sic]) to do the French--Cocksucking; and, inversely, to tongue a woman.”

   “You can be whipped or caned... or you can have French for another pound.”

   “Always use condoms with Greek (anal intercourse), straight sex (vaginal intercourse, fucking), French (oral sex).”

   “‘French’—still used by prostitutes as a term for oral sex.”

3. (abbreviation, alt-of, dated, ellipsis, slang, uncountable)Ellipsis of French vermouth, a type of dry vermouth.

   “Tearle replied that gin-and-French and virginian cigarettes would do for him.”

   “He was drinking double gins with single Frenches in them.”

4. (countable)A French person.

adj

1. Of or relating to France.

   “the French border with Italy”

   “That must have hurt, especially because you knew the French children weren’t even trying. “Uh, go on, play weez your seellee nambeurs. Zey tell you nosseeng of ze true naytcheur of ze soula. I’ll weepa for you.””

2. Of or relating to the people or culture of France.

   “French customs”

3. Of or relating to the French language.

   “French verbs”

4. (slang)Of or related to oral sex, especially fellatio.

   “French active”

   “French girl”

   “She was a tall redhead, with a shape that would make you jump for joy and a reputation as the best French girl in the place.”

5. (euphemistic, informal, often)Used to form names or references to venereal diseases.

   “French disease”

   “French crown”

   “French pox”

6. Used to form names or references to an unconventional or fancy style.

   “French curve”

   “French cut”

   “French fries”

   “French kiss”

   “French manicure”

verb

1. (alt-of)Alternative letter-case form of french.

   “Even before I thought about what I was doing we Frenched and kissed with tongues.”

2. (transitive)To prepare food by cutting it into strips.
3. (transitive)To kiss (another person) while inserting one’s tongue into the other person's mouth.

   “Tom frenched her full in the mouth.”

4. (intransitive)To kiss in this manner.

   “We frenched by the wall.”

5. To French trim; to stylishly expose bone by removing the fat and meat covering it (as done to a rack of lamb or bone-in rib-eye steak).