VocabuoDictionaryGet the app
verb

gambiller

kick one's legs

Definition & meaning

Gambiller is an informal French verb meaning to move one’s legs in a lively, loose, or slightly awkward way. Depending on context, it can mean to kick or wiggle the legs, to jiggle one’s legs, or to dance or gambol lightly.

Grammar & Word origin

  • Part of speech: intransitive verb; regular -er verb.
  • Auxiliary: avoir .
  • It is related to gambe , an older or regional word for “leg,” connected with jambe .

Synonyms & antonyms

  • gigoter — to wriggle or fidget; broader and often suggests restlessness.
  • sautiller — to hop or bounce lightly; emphasizes small jumps rather than leg-wiggling.
  • se trémousser — to wiggle or sway one’s body, often while dancing; involves more than just the legs.
  • remuer les jambes — “to move the legs”; a neutral, literal expression.
  • There is no exact antonym. rester immobile (“to remain still”) expresses the opposite action.

Common phrases & collocations

  • gambiller sur place — to jiggle or dance lightly on the spot.
  • gambiller en rythme — to move one’s legs in time with a rhythm.

Make “gambiller” part of your vocabulary.

Build your French vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.

Get Vocabuo on the App StoreGet Vocabuo for Android

Examples

Le bébé gambille dans son lit.verb

The baby kicks its legs in its bed.

Keep exploring French

Learn words from the content you love.

Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).

Download on theApp StoreGET IT ONGoogle Play