coche

notch, nick; coach (old horse-drawn)

noun KOSH Rare

Origin: Possibly from 'cocher' (to notch) or Old French 'coche' from a Germanic root.

Usage Note

Coche has two distinct meanings: a coche is a notch or groove cut into a surface (used in carpentry or archery), and historically it was a large, slow horse-drawn public coach. The expression rater le coche (to miss the coach) means to miss an opportunity — equivalent to 'miss the boat' in English.

Examples

"Il a encore raté le coche cette fois-ci."

Natural Translation

He missed the boat again this time.

Literal Translation

He missed the coach again this time.

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