gibier de potence

French

FWOTD – 3 April 2019

Etymology

gibier (“game bird”) +‎ de (“of”) +‎ potence (“gallows”). Literally “gallows game (bird)”, similar construction to English gallows bird and German Galgenvogel.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʒi.bje d(ə) pɔ.tɑ̃s/

• Audio (Paris):

  (file)

Noun

gibier de potence m (plural gibiers de potence)

1. a gallows bird (someone destined for or deserving punishment by hanging)
   • 1855, Honoré de Balzac, Modeste Mignon:

     Pourrais-je aimer un lâche, un homme sans foi, sans honneur, un gibier de potence ?

     Could I love a coward, a man without faith, without honor, a gallows bird?

Synonyms

• pendard