Heath's French and English dictionary

by Jean Louis de Lolme

ce (for cela), it, that; he, she, they. C’est fait; it is done. C’est fort bien fait; that’s very well done. C’en est fait de moi; it is all up with me. C’en est fait; it is all over, it is done. C’est bien fait; it serves him right. Et ce, pour cause; and this for a good reason. Je lui ai dit telle chose, et ce pour le persuader de le faire; I told him such a thing, and it was to persuade him to do it. Qui est-ce? who is he? Qui était-ce? who was it? Qui sera-ce? who will it be? Qui est-ce qui arrive là? who is coming there? Est-ce moi? is it I? Est-ce lui? is it he? Est-ce nous qu’il menace? is it towards us his threats are directed? Est-ce eux que vous prétendez soumettre? is it they you pretend to subdue? Sont-ce les Anglais? is it the English? C’est vous qu’on demande; it is you who are wanted. Ce sont eux que j’ai vus; it is they I have seen. Sont-ce là les dames que vous attendiez? are these the ladies you expected? Oui, ces ont elles; yes, they are. C’était eux, ce furent eux, ce sera nous, ce sera vous autres, ce sera eux, ce serait eux; it was they, &c. Qu’est-ce? what is that? Qu’est-ce que je vois là-bas? what do I see yonder? Sont-ce là vos raisons? are those your reasons? Est-ce là votre carrosse? is that your coach? Oui, ce l’est; yes, it is. Sont-ce là vos chevaux? are these your horses? Oui, ce les sont; yes, they are. Quel jour est-ce aujourd’hui? what day is it to-day? C’est jeudi; it is Thursday. Quand sera-ce? when will it be? Ce sera pour demain; it will be for to-morrow.

ce qui, que, dont, à quoi; that, which, what, of what, to what. Je ne sais ce que nous deviendrons; I do not know what will become of us. Ce qui se passe; what happens. Ce que je vous dit; what I tell you. Faites ce dont je vous ai parlé; do what I told you of. Ce qui réussit est toujours approuvé; what meets with success always meets with approbation. C’est ce que je disais; it is what I said. Ce que j’ai vu de beau; the fine things I saw. Tout ce qu’on fait de mauvais; all the mischief that is done. Savez-vous à quoi il pense? do you know what he is thinking of?

ce qui or ce que, serve for two verbs, the latter of which, when ce begins the sentence, is governed by ce: if the latter verb is être, followed by que or de, ce must be repeated before it. Ce que je crains, c’est d’être surpris; what I fear is to be surprised. Ce qu’il demande, c’est une pension; what he asks for is a pension. [But ce cannot be repeated when être is followed by an adjective.] Ce qu’on vous a dit est vrai; what you have been told is true. Ce qu’on vous a dit, ce sont des contes; what you have been told are mere idle tales. C’était un grand capitaine que César; Cæsar was a great captain. Sont-ce les richesses qui vous rendront heureux? can riches make you happy? C’est moi qu’on veut perdre; I am the man they wish to ruin. C’est à vous que je parle; it is to you I speak. C’est d’elle que je parle; it is of her that I speak. C’est là que je les attends; there I shall have them. C’est un bonheur que d’avoir échappé; it is good luck to have escaped. C’était à vous de parler; it was your duty to speak. C’était à vous à parler; it was your turn to speak. Si c’était à refaire; if it were to be done again. C’est à qui parlera; they vie with one another as to who shall speak. C’était à qui s’offrirait; they vied with one another as to who would offer himself. Ce serait pour moi un grand plaisir; it would give me great pleasure. Ce n’est pas qu’il la craigne, mais il aime la paix; not that he fears her, but he loves peace. Ces malheureux ne savent ce que c’est que la vertu; these wretches know not what virtue is. C’est-à-dire; that is to say. Ce n’est pas à dire que; it does not follow that. C’est pourquoi; therefore, wherefore, for which reason. C’est que; you must know; I must tell you. Ce que c’est que de nous! what poor mortals we are.

céans, adv., within, here within, in this house, home. Maître de —; master of the house. Il dînera —; he will dine at home.

ceci, demonst. pron., this. Que veut dire —? what does this mean? C’est —, c’est cela; it is first one thing and then another.

cécité, n.f., blindness. Frapper de —; to strike blind.

cédant, n.m., -e, n.f., (jur.) grantor; assignor, transferrer.

cédant, -e, adj., that assigns, transfers; that grants.

céder, v.a., to give, to give up, to yield, to transfer; to sell, to part with, to make over. — le pas à quelqu’un; to give precedence to any one. — le haut du pavé; to give the wall.

céder, v.n., to give way, to give; to submit; to give in. Il faut —; we must submit. — à son penchant; to give way to one’s inclinations. Je lui cède en tout; I give in to him in everything. Ne le — à personne; to yield to no one; to be second to none. La porte céda; the door gave way.