What does dessus in French mean?

What is the meaning of the word dessus in French? The article explains the full meaning, pronunciation along with bilingual examples and instructions on how to use dessus in French.

The word dessus in French means top, upstairs, on it, on, above, above, above, above, above average, above suspicion, above sea level, have the upper hand, have the upper hand over, arm in arm, arm in arm, it's/that's beyond me, above, Fat chance!, upside down, the pick of the bunch, bedspread, top sheet, have had it up to here, have had it up to here with, on, be above average, be a notch above, mentioned above, given above, throw overboard, right above, directly above, on it, on there, on that, on this, on that, on it, about it, about that, with that, turn upside down, over, over, over 's head, overboard, off-handedly, into the bargain, most of all, above all, it's like water off a duck's back (to him/her), go over 's head, get the upper hand, gain the upper hand, get the upper hand over, get back on top, screw up, s*** yourself, crap yourself, s*** yourself, crap yourself, wet yourself, fall, scrap, brawl, shoot at each other, upside down, live beyond your means, upstairs neighbour, neighbour up above. To learn more, please see the details below.

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Meaning of the word dessus

top

nom masculin (partie supérieure de [qch])

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

Il a des poils sur le dessus de la main.

He has hair on the backs of his hands.

upstairs

nom masculin (l'étage supérieur)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

Les voisins du dessus sont très silencieux.

The neighbours who live upstairs are very quiet.

on it

adverbe (à la surface de)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

Il approche une chaise et s'assoit dessus.

He drew up a chair and sat on it.

on

préposition (vieilli, littéraire, populaire (sur) (position)

(preposition: Relates noun or pronoun to another element of sentence--for example, "a picture of John," "She walked from my house to yours.")

Mon livre n'est pas dessus la table. Enlève tes chaussures de dessus la table s'il te plaît.

Remove your shoes from the table please.

above

préposition (plus haut que, en un endroit plus élevé)

(preposition: Relates noun or pronoun to another element of sentence--for example, "a picture of John," "She walked from my house to yours.")

J'ai accroché le cadre au-dessus de la télévision.

I hung the frame above the shelf.

above

préposition (à un rang plus élevé que)

(preposition: Relates noun or pronoun to another element of sentence--for example, "a picture of John," "She walked from my house to yours.")

Aux cartes, le roi est au-dessus de la dame. Dans la hiérarchie militaire, le colonel est au-dessus du capitaine.

In cards, the king is higher than the queen.

above

adverbe (plus haut)

(adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.")

J'habite au premier et ma mère au-dessus.

I live on the first floor and my mother lives above.

above

adverbe (à un rang plus élevé)

(adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.")

Dans la hiérarchie militaire, il y a le commandant et au-dessus le colonel.

In military hierarchy, there's the major and above is the colonel.

above average

locution adverbiale (mieux que la plupart)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

Cette petite fille a un QI au-dessus de la moyenne.

above suspicion

locution adverbiale (qu'on ne soupçonnerait pas)

(adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.")

Apprécié et respecté de tous, il est au-dessus de tout soupçon.

above sea level

locution adverbiale (plus haut que l'altitude 0)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

have the upper hand

locution verbale (dominer) (figurative)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

have the upper hand over

(dépasser, être plus fort que [qqn])

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

arm in arm

locution adverbiale (en amoureux)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

Et le couple est reparti bras dessus, bras dessous.

arm in arm

locution adverbiale (en bonne camaraderie) (figurative)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

it's/that's beyond me

(c'est trop dur ou compliqué)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

Continuer jusqu'au prochain lac ? Non, c'est au-dessus de mes forces.

above

locution adverbiale (plus haut, avant)

(adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.")

Vous trouverez ci-dessus de plus amples informations. Les informations ci-dessus sont strictement confidentielles.

The aforementioned information is strictly confidential.

Fat chance!

interjection (ironique (sûrement pas !) (colloquial)

(interjection: Exclamation--for example, "Oh no!" "Wow!")

upside down

locution adverbiale (familier (à l'envers)

(adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.")

Le bateau a chaviré, cul par-dessus tête.

the pick of the bunch

nom masculin (élite, meilleure partie)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

bedspread

nom masculin invariable (couvre-lit)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

Notre chat apprécie beaucoup ce dessus-de-lit

top sheet

nom masculin (drap supérieur)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

On dort généralement entre le drap de dessous et le drap de dessus.

have had it up to here, have had it up to here with

locution verbale (figuré (être fatigué, excédé de [qch])

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

Marc en a par-dessus la tête des caprices de sa fille.

Mark has had it up to here with his daughter's hissy fits.

on

locution adverbiale (vieilli (sur le dessus)

(preposition: Relates noun or pronoun to another element of sentence--for example, "a picture of John," "She walked from my house to yours.")

Tu trouveras le dictionnaire en dessus de cette étagère.

be above average

locution verbale (se situer dans la moitié la plus élevée)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

En mathématiques, ces élèves sont au-dessus de la moyenne.

be a notch above

locution verbale (familier, figuré (être meilleur que)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

Ce sportif est un cran au-dessus de ses concurrents.

mentioned above, given above

locution adjectivale (mentionné plus haut)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

Le prix indiqué ci-dessus n'est qu'indicatif.

throw overboard

locution verbale (navire : jeter à l'eau)

right above, directly above

locution adverbiale (au niveau supérieur)

(preposition: Relates noun or pronoun to another element of sentence--for example, "a picture of John," "She walked from my house to yours.")

Nous habitons dans cet immeuble, juste au-dessus de chez mon frère.

on it, on there, on that

adverbe (sur cet objet-là) (at a distance)

(adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.")

Pose ton sac là-dessus.

Put your bag on there.

on this, on that, on it

adverbe (sur ceci)

(adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.")

Je m'en occupe, vous pouvez compter là-dessus.

I'll take care of that; you can count on it.

about it, about that

adverbe (un peu familier (sur ce sujet)

Si tu cherches de la documentation sur la guerre 14-18, tu trouveras beaucoup de livres là-dessus ici.

If you are looking for information on the First World War, you will find a lot of books about it here.

with that

adverbe (sur ce, à ce moment-là)

(adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.")

Là-dessus, il arriva et nous partîmes.

With that, he arrived and we left.

turn upside down

locution verbale (familier (mettre à l'envers, renverser)

Le raz de marée a mis tous les bateaux cul par-dessus tête

over

(sur, au-dessus de)

(preposition: Relates noun or pronoun to another element of sentence--for example, "a picture of John," "She walked from my house to yours.")

Superman porte un slip par-dessus ses collants. // Le chien a réussi à sauter par-dessus la barrière et s'est enfui.

Superman wears his pants on top of his trousers.

over

locution adverbiale (au-dessus)

(adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.")

Superman porte des collants avec un slip par-dessus. La barrière est bloquée alors lancez-moi le courrier par-dessus.

Superman wears tights with his pants over them.

over 's head

(en court-circuitant [qqn])

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

Il s'adresse directement au directeur en passant par-dessus son chef.

He went straight to the director, going over his boss's head to do so.

overboard

locution adverbiale (navire : au-delà du bord, à l'eau)

(adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.")

off-handedly

locution adverbiale (familier (sans soin, à la va-vite)

into the bargain

locution adverbiale (familier, péjoratif (en outre) (informal)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

most of all, above all

locution adverbiale (principalement)

Nous aimons par-dessus tout les soirées au cinéma.

it's like water off a duck's back (to him/her)

(s'en ficher) (colloquial)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

Les remontrances de ses professeurs, ça lui passe au-dessus de la tête.

His teachers tell him off, but it's like water off a duck's back.

go over 's head

(être incompréhensible) (figurative)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

Ouh là ! Ces discussions philosophiques, ça me passe au-dessus de la tête !

get the upper hand, gain the upper hand

locution verbale (avoir l'avantage)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

Finalement, c'est une jeune que nul n'attendait qui a pris le dessus.

get the upper hand over

(dominer [qqn])

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

Ce lutteur était en mauvaise position mais il a fini par prendre le dessus sur son adversaire.

get back on top

locution verbale (avoir à nouveau l'avantage)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

screw up

(très familier, péjoratif (échouer) (slang)

(phrasal verb, transitive, separable: Verb with adverb(s) or preposition(s), having special meaning, divisible--for example, "call off" [=cancel], "call the game off," "call off the game.")

s*** yourself, crap yourself

(très familier (s'oublier) (vulgar, slang)

(transitive verb and reflexive pronoun: Transitive verb with reflexive pronoun--for example, "Enjoy yourself." "They behaved themselves.")

s*** yourself, crap yourself

(figuré, très familier (avoir peur) (figurative, vulgar, slang)

(transitive verb and reflexive pronoun: Transitive verb with reflexive pronoun--for example, "Enjoy yourself." "They behaved themselves.")

wet yourself

(très familier (avoir très peur)

(transitive verb and reflexive pronoun: Transitive verb with reflexive pronoun--for example, "Enjoy yourself." "They behaved themselves.")

fall

locution verbale (familier (être tombé sur le dos)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")

Elle se balançait sur sa chaise et s'est retrouvée cul par-dessus tête.

scrap, brawl

(familier (se battre) (informal)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")

shoot at each other

(échanger des coups de feu)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

Les forces armées des deux camps se sont tiré dessus pendant de longues heures.

upside down

locution adjectivale (chamboulé, en grand désordre)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")

Après la bagarre, la pièce était sens dessus dessous.

live beyond your means

locution verbale (dépenser plus que ce qu'on gagne)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

upstairs neighbour, neighbour up above

(voisin habitant l'étage du dessus) (UK)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

Let's learn French

So now that you know more about the meaning of dessus in French, you can learn how to use them through selected examples and how to read them. And remember to learn the related words that we suggest. Our website is constantly updating with new words and new examples so you can look up the meanings of other words you don't know in French.

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