mitrailler

to machine-gun

verb mee-trah-YEH Rare

Also means

to bombard with (questions, photos)

Usage Note

Mitrailler comes from mitraille (grapeshot, machine-gun fire) and is used both literally in military contexts and figuratively. Mitrailler quelqu'un de questions means 'to pepper someone with questions', and photographers often mitraillent a subject (fire off rapid shots). The noun mitraillette means submachine gun.

Examples

"Les reporters ont mitraillé l'actrice à la sortie du théâtre."

Natural Translation

The reporters snapped away at the actress as she left the theatre.

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