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for

inner self

noun FOR Less Common
Mind & Emotions Mental States

Usage Note

For only appears in the fixed expression en son for intérieur, meaning 'in one's heart of hearts' or 'deep down inside'. It is never used independently as a standalone noun in modern French. The word comes from Latin forum in the sense of an inner tribunal; it is essentially a frozen lexical fossil.

Examples

"En son for intérieur, il savait qu'il avait tort."

Natural Translation

Deep down, he knew he was wrong.

Literal Translation

In his inner self, he knew he was wrong.

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