couler

couler [kule]

➭ TABLE 1

1. intransitive verb

   a. [liquide, fromage] to run ; [sang, larmes, rivière] to flow ; [bougie] to drip

• la sueur coulait sur son visage he had sweat running down his face

• couler à flots [vin, champagne] to be flowing freely

• le sang a coulé (figurative) blood has been shed

• couler de source ( = être clair) to be obvious ; ( = s'enchaîner) to follow naturally

   b. faire couler [+ eau] to run

• faire couler un bain to run a bath

• faire couler le sang (figurative) to cause bloodshed

• ça a fait couler beaucoup d'encre it has caused a lot of ink to flow

   c. [robinet] to run ; ( = fuir) to leak

• il a le nez qui coule he's got a runny nose

   d. [bateau, personne] to sink ; [entreprise] to go under

• couler à pic to sink straight to the bottom

2. transitive verb

   a. [+ cire, ciment] to pour ; [+ métal, statue, cloche] to cast

   b. ( = passer) couler des jours heureux to have a happy time

   c. [+ bateau] to sink ; ( = faire échouer) (inf) [+ candidat] to bring down ; [+ entreprise] to wreck

• c'est la chimie qui l'a coulé (inf) it was the chemistry test that brought him down

3. reflexive verb

► se couler

   a. ( = se glisser)

se couler dans/à travers to slip into/through

   b. se la couler douce (inf) ( = avoir la belle vie) to have an easy time of it (inf) ; ( = paresser) to take it easy

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kule
1.

verbe transitif

1) (verser) to cast [métal, verre]; to pour [béton]

couler une dalle de béton — to make a concrete slab

2) (fabriquer) to cast [buste, cloche]

3) (faire sombrer) lit to sink [navire]; fig (colloq) to put [something] out of business [entreprise, commerce]

4) (colloq) (faire échouer) [matière, épreuve] to make [somebody] fail [élève, étudiant]

ce sont les maths qui l'ont coulé — it was his maths mark GB ou math grade US that brought him down

les scandales l'ont coulé — the scandals ruined him (colloq)

2.

verbe intransitif

1) (se mouvoir) [eau, ruisseau, boue, larmes, sang] to flow; [sève, peinture, colle, maquillage] to run

la sueur coulait sur mon front — sweat was running down my forehead

couler de — to run ou flow from [robinet, fontaine, réservoir]; to run ou flow out of [plaie]

faire couler quelque chose — to run [eau]; to pour [vin, mazout]

2) (se fluidifier) [fromage] to go runny

3) (glisser) [neige] to slide

faire couler du sable entre ses doigts — to let some sand run through one's fingers

4) (fuir) [robinet, stylo] to leak; [nez] to run

5) (sombrer) [bateau, personne] to sink

je coule! — I'm drowning!

6) (passer paisiblement) liter [vie, temps] to slip by

7) Botanique [fleur, fruit] to drop

8) (colloq) (faire faillite) [entreprise, projet] to go under, to sink

faire couler une société — [personne, concurrence] to put a company out of business

9) (être bien formulé) to flow

3.

se couler verbe pronominal (se glisser)

se couler dans — to slip into [foule]; to slip between [draps]

se couler entre — to slip between [obstacles, gens]

••

couler des jours heureux — to lead a happy life

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kule

1. vi

1) [eau, cours d'eau] to flow, to run

La rivière coulait lentement. — The river flowed slowly.

Le sang qui coule dans mes veines. — The blood flowing in my veins.

beaucoup d'eau a coulé sous les ponts — a lot of water has gone under the bridge

couler à flot; couler à flots [champagne] — to flow freely

l'argent coule à flot; l'argent coule à flots — there's plenty of money

2) [robinet, nez] to run

Ne laissez pas couler les robinets. — Don't leave the taps running., Don't leave the taps on.

avoir le nez qui coule; J'ai le nez qui coule. — My nose is running.

faire couler [eau, bain] — to run

faire couler beaucoup d'encre [livre, film, sujet, article, chiffre] — to cause a lot of ink to flow, to be much written about

3) (= sombrer) [bateau] to sink

Un bateau a coulé pendant la tempête. — A boat sank during the storm.

couler à pic — to sink straight to the bottom, to go straight to the bottom

4) (= faire faillite) [entreprise] to go under

5) (autres locutions)

couler de source — to be obvious

Ça coule de source. — It's obvious.

2. vt

1) [cloche, sculpture] to cast

2) [bateau] to sink

3) fig, [entreprise] to put out of business

4) (= passer) [jours, vie] to enjoy

couler des jours heureux — to spend some happy days

se la couler douce * — to have an easy time of it *

5) AUTOMOBILES

couler une bielle; Il a coulé une bielle. — His big end went.

* * *

couler verb table: aimer

A vtr

1 (verser) to cast [métal, verre]; to pour [béton]; couler une dalle de béton to make a concrete slab;

2 (fabriquer) to cast [buste, cloche]; couler un bronze lit to cast a bronze; (déféquer)◑ to have a crap○;

3 (faire sombrer) lit to sink [navire]; fig○ to put [sth] out of business [entreprise, commerce]; le supermarché a coulé l'épicerie du quartier the supermarket has put the corner shop out of business;

4 ○(faire échouer) [matière, épreuve] to make [sb] fail [élève, étudiant]; ce sont les maths qui l'ont coulé it was his maths mark GB ou math grade US that brought him down; les scandales l'ont coulé the scandals ruined him○;

5 (glisser discrètement) liter couler qch dans qch to slip sth into sth; il a coulé une lettre dans ma poche he slipped a letter into my pocket; couler un regard vers qch/qn to steal a glance at sth/sb.

B vi

1 (se mouvoir) [eau, ruisseau, boue, larmes, sang] to flow; [sève, peinture, colle, maquillage] to run; la Saône coule à Lyon the Saône flows through Lyons; ton rimmel® a coulé your mascara has run; le sang/la sueur coulait sur mon front blood/sweat was running down my forehead; couler de to run ou flow from [robinet, fontaine, réservoir]; to run ou flow out of [plaie]; faire couler qch to run [eau]; to pour [vin, mazout]; faire couler un bain to run a bath; fais-toi couler un bain run yourself a bath;

2 (se fluidifier) [fromage] to go runny;

3 (glisser) [neige] to slide; faire couler du sable entre ses doigts to let some sand run through one's fingers; allez bois, ça coule tout seul! come on drink it, it just slips down;

4 (fuir) [robinet, tube, stylo] to leak; [nez] to run; j'ai le nez qui coule my nose is running, I've got a runny nose;

5 (sombrer) [bateau, personne] to sink; je coule! I'm drowning!; faire couler un bateau to sink a boat;

6 (passer paisiblement) liter [vie, temps] to slip by;

7 Bot [fleur, fruit] to drop;

8 ○(faire faillite) [entreprise, projet] to go under, to sink; faire couler une société [personne, concurrence] to put a company out of business;

9 (être bien formulé) [phrases, vers, paroles] to flow.

C se couler vpr (se glisser) se couler dans to slip into [foule, ouverture]; to slip between [draps]; se couler entre to slip between [piquets, obstacles, gens].

Idiome

couler des jours heureux to lead a happy life.

[kule] verbe intransitif

1. [fleuve, eau] to run, to flow

[larmes] to run down, to flow

la sueur coulait sur son visage

{{ind}}a. [abondamment] sweat was pouring down his face

{{ind}}b. [goutte à goutte] sweat was trickling down his face

le vin coulait à flots wine flowed freely

le sable/l'argent coule entre ses doigts sand/money trickles through her fingers

fais couler l'eau turn on the water

faire couler un bain to run a bath

fais couler un peu d'eau dessus pour a little water over it

avoir le nez qui coule to have a runny nose

faire couler de la salive (figuré) to cause some tongue-wagging, to set the tongues wagging

faire couler beaucoup d'encre (figuré) to cause a lot of ink to flow

il coulera de l'eau sous les ponts avant que... there'll be a lot of water under the bridge before...

2. [progresser facilement] to flow

le temps coule (littéraire) time slips by

couler de source to follow (on naturally)

cela coule de source it's obvious

laisse couler! (familier) don't bother!, just drop it!

3. [avoir une fuite - robinet] to leak, to drip

4. [se liquéfier - fromage, bougie] to run

5. [sombrer - nageur] to go under ; [ - bateau] to go down, to sink

couler à pic to sink straight to the bottom

[entreprise, politicien] to sink, to go down

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[kule] verbe transitif

1. [faire sombrer - bateau] to sink ; [ - entreprise, concurrent] to sink, to bring down (separable)

2. (littéraire) [passer]

couler des jours heureux to spend some happy days

3. [ciment] to pour

[métal] to cast

4. [fabriquer - statue] to cast

5. AUTOMOBILE

couler une bielle to run a rod

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se couler verbe pronominal intransitif

[se glisser]

se couler dans [lit, foule] to slip into

se couler le long de to slide alongside

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se couler verbe pronominal transitif

se la couler douce (familier) to have an easy time (of it)