Le livre Headway - Avancé - Unité 4

a thing or person that is impossible to improve or succeed

cause perdue

the final and decisive event or action that pushes someone beyond their tolerance or patience, leading to a significant reaction or decision

a situation that is hard to define or categorize and therefore unclear

zone grise, zone indéfinie

to create equal opportunities for all individuals or groups, regardless of their background or circumstances

a situation where a small initial action or decision leads to a chain of events that ultimately results in a more significant and often negative outcome

pente glissante, déclic dangereux

a phone call that is made at a particular time to wake someone up, at their request, for example in a hotel

réveil par téléphone

a delicate distinction between two things, particularly two apparently similar situations or concepts

a strong urge to travel or leave somewhere

pieds démangeants, envie de voyager

an attempt made without having any high hopes of achieving success

il y a peu de chances

a treatment that is not fair or equal

un mauvais coup, un traitement inéquitable

a sensitive or vulnerable topic or issue that causes discomfort, distress, or irritation when discussed or mentioned

sujet délicat, point sensible

the act of imagining or hoping for something to be true, despite there being little or no evidence or likelihood of it actually happening

pensée illusoire, vœu pieux

something that is so certain to happen that it can be considered inevitable, regardless of what actions are taken to prevent it

conclusion inévitable, conclusion acquise

an option or solution that is only chosen when every other alternative has failed

dernier recours, solution de dernier recours

used to state that one has adopted a different opinion

à la réflexion

a redeeming quality or factor that prevents a situation or outcome from being completely negative or disastrous

grâce salvatrice, élément rédempteur

something that has both advantages and disadvantages, making it both positive and negative

bénédiction ambivalente, un double tranchant

the state in which one loses all one's confidence and willingness to continue doing something

légèreté d'esprit, découragement

addicted or extremely enthusiastic about something

accro, passionné

a loud, sustained noise or shout of disapproval, protest, or outrage

cri

the belief that the human spirit or soul can survive after death and communicate with the living

spiritualisme, spiritualité

a fraudulent or deceptive act or scheme intended to trick or fool people

canular, supercherie

having to stay in bed, usually for a long time, due to illness or injury

grabataire

to seize or grab suddenly and firmly

saisir, agripper

a pair of rings made of metal with a chain attached to them, used for putting on the wrists of prisoners

menottes

to disregard something as unimportant or unworthy of consideration

écarter, rejeter

to resist or endure the force, pressure, or challenges imposed upon oneself

résister à, endurer

(of an illness) suddenly becoming severe but for a short time

aigu

(of a person) to fall and usually become unconscious due to illness

s'écrouler

putting someone or something at a disadvantage

défavorisé, ne favorisant pas

caring and attentive to the needs, feelings, or well-being of others

prévenant, attentionné

behaving in a manner that is considered strange and unconventional

excentrique

beyond what is ordinary, expected, and indicating the inference of supernatural powers

étrange, inexplicable

the process of using general rules or ideas to make a specific conclusion

déduction

having doubts about something's truth, validity, or reliability

sceptique