What does sec in French mean?

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

The word sec in French means dry, dry, dry, dry, curt, dried, abrupt, sudden, neat, dry, cold, spare, sharply, abruptly, quickly, swiftly, without getting your feet wet, dried apricot, dry, immediately, be cold-hearted, dry biscuit, plain biscuit, drink down in one, down in one, snap, semi-dry champagne, dry champagne, dry cider, sharp blow, bottoms up!, suddenly, abruptly, sharply, curtly, sharply, dry-cleaning, dry-eraseable, be on the pull, be broke, be out of petrol, be dry, go dry, be on bread and water, be on bread and water rations, be down to bread and water, be stick-thin, dried fruit, nut, biscuit, biscuit, wind steeply upwards, dry bean, dried bean, dried pulse, layoff, dry cleaning, dry-clean, dry bread, bossy, tyrant, dry well, raisin, saucisson sec, keep dry, do it with one quick pull, semi-dry wine, medium dry wine, dry wine. To learn more, please see the details below.

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Meaning of the word sec

dry

adjectif (qui n'est plus mouillé)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
Il faut attendre que le linge soit sec pour le plier.
You have to wait until the laundry is dry before folding it.

dry

adjectif (sans humidité)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
Les fruits se conservent mieux dans un endroit frais et sec.
Fruit keeps best in a cool, dry place.

dry

adjectif (climat : peu humide)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
Le Sahara possède un climat sec.
The Sahara has a dry climate.

dry

adjectif (qui accroche, pas doux)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
On a souvent la peau sèche en hiver.
Winter often causes dry skin.

curt

adjectif (brusque)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
Fabien répondit à Noémie de façon sèche.
Fabian gave Naomi a curt reply.

dried

adjectif (fruit : déshydraté) (fruit)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
On fait des fruits secs avec les abricots et le raisin.
We make dried fruit using apricots and grapes.

abrupt, sudden

adjectif (bruit : rapide)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
J'ai entendu un claquement sec.
I heard a sudden slamming sound.

neat

adjectif (sans ajout d'eau)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
Jacques boit toujours son martini sec.
James always drinks his martini neat.

dry

adjectif (très peu sucré) (wine)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
Nous préférons le champagne sec.
We prefer a dry champagne.

cold

adjectif (insensible) (figurative)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
Ce directeur a le cœur sec.
This director has a cold heart.

spare

adjectif (personne : maigre) (thin)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
Tu le reconnaîtras facilement : c'est un grand gars tout sec.
You will easily recognise him: he is a tall, skinny guy.

sharply, abruptly

adverbe (de façon courte et brève)

(adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.")
Deux coups de fusil claquèrent sec.
Two rifle shots sounded sharply.

quickly, swiftly

adverbe (rapidement, vivement)

(adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.")
Ce pongiste a démarré sec sur le service de son adversaire.
The table tennis player responded swiftly to his opponent's serve.

without getting your feet wet

locution adverbiale (sans se mouiller)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
À marée basse, on peut passer à pied sec.

dried apricot

nom masculin (abricot séché pour conservation)

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

dry

locution adverbiale (à l'abri) (object)

immediately

locution adverbiale (aussitôt)

(adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.")
Je lui ai répondu aussi sec.
I got straight back to him.

be cold-hearted

locution verbale (être insensible)

À l'enterrement de sa grand-mère, Paul n'a pas versé une larme, il a vraiment le cœur sec.

dry biscuit, plain biscuit

nom masculin (biscuit croquant) (UK)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Les biscuits secs ont une texture plus croquante ou croustillante qu'un gâteau.

drink down in one, down in one

locution verbale (familier (boire d'un trait son verre) (UK, informal)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Il a bu son verre de vodka cul sec !
He drank his vodka down in one.

snap

nom masculin (bruit cassant) (noise)

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

semi-dry champagne

nom masculin (champagne un peu sucré)

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

dry champagne

nom masculin (champagne entre 17 et 32 g de sucre)

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

dry cider

nom masculin (cidre peu sucré)

sharp blow

nom masculin (coup net et puissant)

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

bottoms up!

interjection (familier (on boit d'un trait) (drinking)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Allez les gars, cul sec !
Alright, everybody, bottoms up!

suddenly, abruptly, sharply

locution adverbiale (brusquement)

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

curtly, sharply

locution adverbiale (rudement)

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

dry-cleaning

nom masculin (lavage par solvant)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Le dégraissage et nettoyage à sec emploient souvent des produits dangereux à la santé.

dry-eraseable

adjectif (effaçable sans eau)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
Ce feutre est effaçable à sec.

be on the pull

locution verbale (familier (draguer intensément) (UK, slang)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Avec ce costume et son bagout, Xavier emballait sec hier soir.

be broke

locution verbale (familier (ne plus avoir d'argent) (informal)

Non, je ne sors pas ce soir, je suis vraiment à sec.

be out of petrol

locution verbale (familier (être en panne de carburant) (UK)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
On est à sec, il faut qu'on s'arrête à la station service.

be dry, go dry

locution verbale (ne plus fournir d'eau)

be on bread and water, be on bread and water rations, be down to bread and water

locution verbale (n'avoir que peu à manger)

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

be stick-thin

locution verbale (familier, péjoratif (être très maigre)

Les mannequins sont souvent secs comme un coup de trique.

dried fruit

nom masculin (fruit déshydraté)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
J'ai une réserve de fruits secs pour la randonnée.

nut

nom masculin (fruit à coque) (food)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Noix, pistache et amande sont des fruits secs.

biscuit

nom masculin (biscuit) (UK)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Tu veux des gâteaux avec ton thé ?
Would you like some biscuits with your tea?

biscuit

nom masculin (biscuit) (UK)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Un bon goûter comprend un gâteau sec, un fruit et un yaourt.

wind steeply upwards

locution verbale (être très pentu)

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

dry bean, dried bean

nom masculin (graine de haricot) (legume)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
On utilise des haricots secs pour faire du cassoulet.

dried pulse

nom masculin (graines des légumineuses) (UK)

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

layoff

nom masculin (perte de travail sans en retrouver)

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

dry cleaning

nom masculin (nettoyage par solvant)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Le nettoyage à sec est recommandé pour ce manteau.

dry-clean

locution verbale (nettoyer par solvant)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Il faut nettoyer ce manteau à sec.

dry bread

nom masculin (pain desséché)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Le pauvre orphelin se nourrissait juste de pain sec et d'eau.

bossy

adjectif invariable (péjoratif (autoritaire, strict) (pejorative)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
Je ne comprends pas qu'ils gardent une réceptionniste aussi pète-sec.

tyrant

nom masculin et féminin invariable (péjoratif (personne autoritaire) (pejorative)

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

dry well

nom masculin (puits tari)

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

raisin

nom masculin (raisin desseché)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Mamie met des raisins secs dans son riz au lait.

saucisson sec

nom masculin (saucisse desséchée) (dried sausage)

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

keep dry

locution verbale (garder à l'écart de l'humidité)

Vous tiendrez au sec les sacs de ciment.

do it with one quick pull

locution verbale (ramener brusquement)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Pour réussir à retirer la nappe sans enlever ce qu'il y a dessus, il suffit de tirer d'un coup sec.

semi-dry wine, medium dry wine

nom masculin (vin un peu sucré) (alcoholic drink)

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

dry wine

nom masculin (vin contenant peu de sucre) (alcoholic drink)

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

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