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bourde

blunder, gaffe

noun BOORD Rare

Usage Note

Bourde is an informal word for an embarrassing mistake or clumsy blunder. It is milder and more light-hearted than faute (fault) or erreur grave (serious error), and is common in spoken French. The related verb bourder is rare; instead, faire une bourde ('to make a blunder') is the standard construction.

Examples

"Il a fait une belle bourde en oubliant le rendez-vous."

Natural Translation

He made a real blunder by forgetting the appointment.

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