berner
deceive
C’est tromper quelqu’un en lui faisant croire quelque chose qui n’est pas vrai.
Definition & meaning
The verb berner means to deceive, trick, fool, or dupe someone. It implies taking advantage of someone's gullibility or naivety to make them believe something that is untrue.
- Primary meaning: To successfully mislead someone through a lie or a deceptive act.
- Example: Il a réussi à berner tout le monde avec son histoire inventée. (He managed to fool everyone with his made-up story.)
Grammar & Word origin
Grammar:
- It is a transitive verb (transitif direct), meaning it is followed directly by the object being deceived (e.g., "Il m'a berné" - He fooled me).
- It belongs to the first group of verbs (ending in -er).
Word origin: The word originates from the Old French term "berne," which referred to a type of coarse woolen fabric. Historically, "berner" meant to toss someone into a blanket (a form of punishment or humiliation). Over time, the figurative sense evolved to represent "tossing" someone around metaphorically, leading to the current meaning of playing a trick on someone or making them look foolish.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
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Examples
Je ne veux pas te berner.verb
I don't want to deceive you.
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