devant, prep., before; in front of, over against, opposite to; (nav.) ahead of. Regarder — soi; to look before one; look ahead. Otez-vous de — mon jour; get out of my light. Otez-vous de — moi; stand out of my sight. Ils passent par — chez nous; they pass our door. Il marchait — moi; he walked before, in front of, me. Quand il fut — ses juges; when he was in the presence of his judges. Par-— notaire; in the presence of a notary (i.e., a legal form). Tout — l’église; just opposite the church.
devant, adv., before; (nav.) ahead. Passez —; go before. Le train de — d’une voiture; the forewheels of a coach. Les jambes de —; the forelegs. Sens — derrière; hind part foremost.
devant, n.m., front, the fore-part. Il est logé sur le —; he lodges in the front. Un — de cheminée; a chimney-board. — d’autel; frontal (panel in front of an altar). Prendre le —; to set out before; to get before. Prendre les —s; to forestall, to be first in the field. Aller, venir, envoyer, au-— de quelqu’un; to go, to come, to send, to meet any one; (fig.) to meet half-way; to provide for or against; to meet, to encounter, to oppose, to obviate. Aller au-— d’une chose; to prevent anything. Aller au-— des désirs de quelqu’un; to anticipate anyone’s wishes. Ci-—; before, formerly, heretofore, late. Les premiers vont —; first come, first served. Un ci-—; an ex-noble.
devantier (-tié), n.m., (fam., l.u.) apron.
devantière (-ti-èr), n.f., riding petticoat.
devanture, n.f., front (of buildings). — de boutique; shop-front.
dévastat-eur, n.m., -rice, n.f., destroyer, despoiler, desolater, ravager.
dévastat-eur, -rice, adj., devastating, desolating, destructive.
dévastation, n.f., devastation; ravage; havoc.
dévaster, v.a., to devastate, to lay waste, to desolate, to make desolate, to spoil, to ravage.