bredouille

empty-handed, unsuccessful

adjective breh-DOO-ee Rare

Usage Note

Bredouille is invariable — it does not change for gender or number — and is almost always used predicatively after rentrer or revenir: rentrer bredouille means to come back with nothing to show for one's efforts, originally from hunting or fishing. It is a colourful, informal word that feels slightly literary.

Examples

"Il est rentré bredouille de la pêche."

Natural Translation

He came back empty-handed from fishing.

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