amocher

to damage, to rough up

verb ah-moh-SHAY Rare

Also means

to mess up (face, object)

Usage Note

Amocher is a familiar, colloquial verb meaning to damage or disfigure something — se faire amocher means to get beaten up or have one's face messed up. It belongs firmly to informal speech and would be out of place in formal writing. The related noun amoche is rarely used; the past participle amoché functions as an adjective meaning battered or damaged.

Examples

"Il s'est amoché le genou en tombant."

Natural Translation

He hurt his knee badly when he fell.

Literal Translation

He damaged his knee in falling.

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