What does habiller in French mean?

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

The word habiller in French means dress, buy clothes for, dress, coat, cover, get dressed, dress up as, dress up, buy your clothes from, suit, make clothes for, disguise, dress, rob Peter to pay Paul, wrap up warm, wear warm clothes, dress elegantly, wear short skirts, wear loose-fitting clothes, have a go at , have a real go at , have a right go at, dress casually, dress in casual clothes, dress in a young style, wear young-style clothes, wear light clothes, wear light clothes, cover up, wear sexy clothes. To learn more, please see the details below.

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Meaning of the word habiller

dress

verbe transitif (vêtir [qqn])

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Chaque matin, Marie habille sa fille.
Every morning, Marie dresses her daughter.

buy clothes for

verbe transitif (équiper [qqn], acheter à [qqn])

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Nous habillons les enfants pour l'hiver.
We are buying winter clothes for the children.

dress

verbe transitif (apprêter [qqn])

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
J'habille Pierre en tenue de campagne pour sortir jouer.
I'm dressing Peter in an outfit suitable for the countryside, so he can go out and play.

coat, cover

verbe transitif (arranger, embellir)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
J'ai habillé les murs d'un enduit à la chaux.
I've coated the walls with a limewash.

get dressed

verbe pronominal (se vêtir)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Allez, habille-toi, on va être en retard ! J'ai dû m'habiller rapidement ce matin parce que j'étais en retard.
I had to dress quickly this morning, because I was late.

dress up as

(se déguiser en [qch])

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Pour le carnaval, Clovis s'est habillé en cow-boy.
For the carnival, Clovis wore a cowboy costume.

dress up

verbe pronominal (bien s'habiller, s'apprêter)

(phrasal verb, intransitive: Verb with adverb(s) or preposition(s), having special meaning and not taking direct object--for example, "make up" [=reconcile]: "After they fought, they made up.")
Nous nous habillons plus spécialement pour ce mariage.
We dressed up more than usual for the wedding.

buy your clothes from

verbe pronominal (acheter, s'équiper)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Albert s'habille chez le tailleur du boulevard.
Albert buys his clothes from the boulevard's tailor.

suit

verbe transitif (convenir à [qqn], être seyant) (clothing)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Cet ensemble vous habille à ravir.
That outfit suits you down to the ground.

make clothes for

verbe transitif (confectionner des vêtements)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Cette grand-mère habille ses petits-enfants.
The grandmother makes clothes for her grandchildren.

disguise

verbe transitif (littéraire (arranger, masquer)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Il sait habiller ses refus de paroles d'encouragement.
He knows how to disguise his refusals as words of encouragement.

dress

verbe transitif (cuisine : préparer une viande ou un poisson) (cookery)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Le cuisinier habilla la volaille en la plumant, la vidant et la flambant.
The cook dressed the poultry, by plucking, gutting, and flambéing it.

rob Peter to pay Paul

locution verbale (déplacer un problème) (figurative)

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

wrap up warm, wear warm clothes

locution verbale (mettre des vêtements chauds)

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

dress elegantly

locution verbale (bien s'habiller)

wear short skirts

(mettre des vêtements courts)

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

wear loose-fitting clothes

(mettre des vêtements larges)

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

have a go at , have a real go at , have a right go at

locution verbale (figuré (critiquer) (informal)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Paul m'a dit que ma grand-mère n'avait pas arrêté de dire du mal de nous : apparemment, elle nous a habillés pour l'hiver !

dress casually, dress in casual clothes

locution verbale (ne pas suivre de code vestimentaire)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Le week-end, il s'habille décontracté.

dress in a young style, wear young-style clothes

locution verbale (s'habiller comme les jeunes)

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

wear light clothes

locution verbale (porter peu de couches d'habits)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Ils s'habillent légèrement pour rejoindre la plage.

wear light clothes

locution verbale (porter des habits peu chaud)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Plus il fait chaud et plus on s'habille légèrement.

cover up

(porter des vêtements longs) (clothing)

(phrasal verb, intransitive: Verb with adverb(s) or preposition(s), having special meaning and not taking direct object--for example, "make up" [=reconcile]: "After they fought, they made up.")
Vu le bleu que la jeune femme s'était fait au sport, elle préférait s'habiller long.

wear sexy clothes

locution verbale (s'habiller pour susciter le désir)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Elle s'habilla sexy pour leur anniversaire de mariage.

Let's learn French

So now that you know more about the meaning of habiller 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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