échafaud
French
editEtymology
editAlteration of Old French chafaud, from Late Latin *catafalicum, from Ancient Greek κατά- (katá-) + Latin fala (“tower”). Doublet of catafalque.
Pronunciation
editNoun
editéchafaud m (plural échafauds)
- scaffold (elevated platform on which a criminal is executed)
- 1829, Victor Hugo, Le Dernier Jour d’un condamné:
- Quand ma tête aura été coupée, qu’est-ce que cela me fait qu’on en coupe d’autres ? Est-ce que vraiment j’ai pu penser ces folies ? Jeter bas l’échafaud après que j’y aurai monté !
- When my head has been cut off, what do I care if others' are cut off? Could I really think such crazy thoughts? Throw down the scaffold after I'd got up!
Derived terms
editFurther reading
edit- “échafaud”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
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