rôder
prowl
Se déplacer sans but précis, souvent en restant dans les environs, comme si l’on cherchait quelque chose ou qu’on observait discrètement.
Definition & meaning
Rôder means to roam, wander, or prowl, usually around a place without a clear destination. It can suggest suspicious or threatening behavior.
- Un homme rôdait près de la maison. — A man was lurking near the house.
- Le danger rôde. — Danger is lurking.
Grammar & Word origin
Rôder is a regular -er verb, usually intransitive. It is related to the idea of moving around or making rounds.
Do not confuse it with roder , without the circumflex, which means “to break in” a machine or “to perfect through practice.”
Synonyms & antonyms
- errer — to wander aimlessly; it does not necessarily suggest suspicion.
- vagabonder — to roam freely, often over a wider area.
- tourner autour de — to circle or hover around something; more focused on repeated movement around it.
- s’éloigner — to move away; the opposite of lingering near a place.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Le chat aime rôder dans le jardin.verb
The cat likes to prowl in the garden.
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