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effleurer

graze

verb ef-luh-REH Rare

Also means

skim

Usage Note

effleurer means to touch very lightly or just barely brush against something. Figuratively, effleurer un sujet means to touch on a topic only superficially — the opposite of approfondir. The noun effleurage is used in massage therapy for a light stroking technique.

Examples

"Ses doigts effleurèrent sa joue."

Natural Translation

Her fingers grazed his cheek.

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