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fouiner

to snoop

verb fwee-NEH Rare

Origin: French 'fouine' (stone marten), known for its sneaky behaviour

Also means

to nose around

Usage Note

Fouiner comes from fouine, a weasel-like animal known for sneaking into henhouses, giving the verb its sense of nosing about or prying. It implies mild but unwelcome curiosity: il fouine dans mes affaires = he snoops through my things. The noun fouineur/fouineuse describes a nosy person. The verb is informal and slightly pejorative.

Examples

"Arrête de fouiner dans mes tiroirs!"

Natural Translation

Stop snooping through my drawers!

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