frentʃ adj. & n. --adj. 1 of or relating to France or
its people or
language. 2 having
the characteristics attributed to the French people. --n. 1 the language of France,
also used in Belgium, Switzerland, Canada,
and elsewhere. 2 (the French) (pl.) the people of France. 3 colloq.
bad language (excuse my French). 4 colloq.
dry vermouth (gin and French). øFrench
bean Brit. 1 a beanplant, Phaseolus vulgaris, having
many varieties cultivated
for their pods and seeds. 2 a the
pod used as
food. b the
seed used as food: also called
HARICOT,
kidney bean. French
bread white bread in a long
crisp loaf. French Canadian n. a Canadian
whose principal language is French. --adj. of or relating to French-speaking Canadians. French
chalk a kind of
steatite used for
marking cloth and removing
grease and as a dry
lubricant. French cricket an
informal type of cricket
without stumps and played
with a
soft ball. French cuff a cuff of
double thickness. French
curve a
template used for
drawing curved lines. French
door = French
window. French
dressing a
salad dressing of
vinegar and
oil, usu. seasoned. French fried potatoes (US French fries)
potato chips. French
horn a coiled
brass wind
instrument with a
wide bell. French
kiss a kiss with
one partner's
tongue inserted in the other's
mouth. French
knickers wide-legged knickers. French leave
absence without
permission. French
letter Brit. colloq. a
condom. French
mustard Brit. a
mild mustard
mixed with vinegar. French
polish shellac polish for
wood. French-polish v.tr. polish with
this. French
roof a
mansard. French
seam a seam with the
raw edges enclosed. French
toast 1 Brit. bread buttered on one
side and toasted on the
other. 2 bread dipped in egg and
milk and fried. French vermouth dry vermouth. French window a glazed door in an
outside wall,
serving as a window and door. øøFrenchness n. [OE frencisc f. Gmc]