Some words that came up this week in the French conversation group I go to.
| français | English |
|---|---|
| le truc | stuff, substance |
| les trucs | stuff (things) |
| les affaires | stuff (belongings) |
| les choses personnelles | personal stuff |
| bourer (qch de qch) | to stuff (sth with sth) |
| bourer un sac de qch | to stuff a bag with sth |
| rembourrer | to stuff (a cushion, mattress, etc) |
| s’empiffrer | to stuff oneself (with food) |
| s’en mettre plain la lampe | to stuff one’s face |
| étre bouré(e) à craquer | to be stuffed full (person) |
| je suis repu | I’m stuffed |
| animal en peluche | stuffed animal / toy |
| bouché(e) | stuffed up (nose) |
| j’ai le nez bouché | my nose is stuffed up |
| farcir | to stuff (food) |
| farci | stuffed (food) |
| des tomates farcis | stuffed tomatoes |
| fourré à la ricotta | stuffed with ricotta |
| empailler | to stuff (taxidermy) |
| empaillé | stuffed |
Wondering about the word empaillé. I am not sure why I think it comes from the French word for “straw” but didn’t they once do taxidermy by stuffing the animal with straw? I know the word “la paille” is the word for a drinking straw.
Empaillé and empailler do come from paille, which means drinking straw, dried grass straw and a flaw in a gem or metal [source].
One meaning of empailler is “Emplir de paille la peau des animaux pour conserver leur apparence naturelle” (to fill the skin of animals with straw to preserve their appearance). It was first used in writing with this meaning in 1611 [source].
J’ai la guelle de bois
I have a hangover (an animal’s head of wood)