balayer

sweep

verb bah-leh-YEH Less Common

Origin: Old French balai (broom)

Usage Note

Balayer is an -ayer verb and has a spelling variant in conjugation: je balaie or je balaye are both accepted. It is used literally for sweeping a floor (balayer le sol) and figuratively for sweeping away obstacles or scanning a view (balayer du regard, 'to sweep one's gaze'). The noun balai means 'broom'.

Examples

"Elle balaie le sol de la cuisine."

Natural Translation

She sweeps the kitchen floor.

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