la foulée
stride
Definition & meaning
The word foulée primarily refers to a stride, specifically the distance covered in a single step while running or walking at a brisk pace. It describes both the physical measurement of the gap between steps and the quality or style of a person's gait. For example, a runner might be said to have a "souple foulée" (a flexible or fluid stride).
Beyond human movement, the term has two other specific uses:
- Hunting: It refers to the tracks or footprints left on the ground by large game, such as deer or wild boar.
- Idiomatic Expression: The phrase dans la foulée is very common in everyday French. it translates to "immediately after," "in the wake of," or "right away." It implies that a second action is performed using the momentum or energy of the first.
Grammar & Word origin
Foulée is a feminine noun. It is the substantive form of the past participle of the verb fouler , which means to tread upon, to trample, or to press down.
The etymology traces back to the Vulgar Latin verb fullare, which originally referred to the process of "fulling" cloth—a method of cleaning and thickening wool by treading on it with the feet. Over centuries, the meaning shifted from the industrial process of treading to the general action of placing one's feet on the ground, eventually evolving into the modern sense of a rhythmic stride.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
- enjambée : This is the closest synonym, specifically referring to a long step or stride.
- pas : A general term for a step.
- allure : Refers to the pace or the manner in which someone moves.
- trace : Used as a synonym in the context of hunting tracks.
- élan : Momentum, often used synonymously with the energy found in the expression "dans la foulée."
Antonyms:
Because foulée describes a unit of movement or a track, direct antonyms are rare, but in terms of movement, one could consider:
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Examples
Ses foulées sont très rapides.noun
His strides are very fast.
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