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mater

to ogle, spy on

verb ma-TAY Less Common

Also means

to subdue, checkmate

Usage Note

Mater has two quite different senses depending on register: in colloquial French it means to stare at or ogle someone (mater quelqu'un), while in more formal or chess/martial contexts it means to subdue or checkmate (mater l'adversaire). The colloquial sense is the more commonly heard one in everyday speech.

Examples

"Arrête de mater les gens dans la rue."

Natural Translation

Stop ogling people in the street.

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