voguer

to sail

verb vo-GEH Rare

Also means

to glide

Usage Note

Voguer is a literary or poetic verb meaning to sail or drift on water, rarely used in casual speech where naviguer is preferred. The expression vogue la galère — literally 'let the galley sail' — is an idiomatic phrase meaning 'come what may'. The present participle voguant appears often in descriptive prose.

Examples

"Le bateau voguait doucement sur le lac."

Natural Translation

The boat glided gently on the lake.

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