Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

prend par dessus

English translation:

wash it down

Added to glossary by Barbara Cochran, MFA
Mar 8, 2008 00:18
16 yrs ago
2 viewers *
French term

prend par dessus

French to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature 18th Century Venetian Society
Context:

"...vingt valets apportent dans un plat d'argent démesuré une grosse citrouille coupée en quartiers que l'on qualifie de melon d'eau, aliment détestable s'il en fut jamais. Une pile d'assiettes d'argent l'accompagne, chacun se jette sur un quartier, **prend par dessus** une petite tasse de café et s'en retourne à minuit.."

Help! I can't figure out if this means that he takes teh cup of coffee from the top of the table or if it means that he washed the watermelon down with the cup of coffee (or tops it all off with a cup of coffee).

Mille Mercis!

femme
Proposed translations (English)
5 +8 wash it down
3 finished it off with a cup of coffee
Change log

Mar 13, 2008 13:57: Barbara Cochran, MFA Created KOG entry

Discussion

Barbara Cochran, MFA (asker) Mar 8, 2008:
Sounds good, since "wash it down" was actually my first choice. Thanks.
Catherine CHAUVIN Mar 8, 2008:
forget 3 and read " Sorry!
Catherine CHAUVIN Mar 8, 2008:
Ca signifie, d'après moi : Après avoir englouti (mangé) un quartier de citrouille, la personne boit tout de suite ("par-dessus" est imagé) après une petite tasse de café. Your 2nd sentence is right. "He whashed the watermelon down with a cup of coffee3

Proposed translations

+8
11 mins
Selected

wash it down

In this context, 'prend par-dessus' means drinking a cup of coffee right after eating the watermelon. So I would go with 'wash it down.'
Peer comment(s):

agree Rowan Morrell : Makes sense.
2 mins
Thank you!
agree Catherine CHAUVIN : Sure!
4 mins
Thank you!
agree Olga Layer
39 mins
Thank you!
agree Bourth (X) : Watermelon with a coffee chaser; not my cup of tea.
48 mins
Thank you!
agree Aude Sylvain :
1 hr
Thank you!
agree Ingeborg Gowans (X)
2 hrs
Thank you!
agree Euqinimod (X)
7 hrs
Thank you!
agree Mary Carroll Richer LaFlèche
13 hrs
Thank you!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Merci beaucoup pour votre confirmation de ma traduction."
1 hr

finished it off with a cup of coffee

Hello,

par-dessus = immédiatement après (dans le temps)

right after/straight after

Eats the watermelon and finish it off with a cup of coffee

Aren't we in the past tense here in English?

I hope this helps.
Something went wrong...
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