fendre

Word: fendre

Part of speech: Verb (French)

Meaning:

1. To split / To crack / To cleave

   • The primary meaning of "fendre" is to split or crack something, usually along a natural line or grain. It often refers to splitting wood, or cracking an object. For example, "fendre du bois" means "to split wood."

2. Figurative meanings:

   • It can also mean figuratively "to break through" or "to penetrate," as in cutting through something. For example, "fendre la foule" means "to push through the crowd."

Etymology:

• Derived from Latin "findere," meaning to split or cleave.

Conjugation:

• It is a regular -re verb, but with some irregularities (extends and fends in present tense).

Synonyms:

• Couper (to cut)
• Éclater (to burst, to crack)
• Scinder (to split into parts)

Antonyms:

• As a verb, the opposite would be "joindre" (to join, to unite) or "assembler" (to assemble).

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Summary:

"Fendre" means to split or crack something physically, or figuratively to push through or cleave through a crowd or barrier. It most commonly relates to splitting wood or cracking materials but is also used metaphorically.