affres

French

Etymology

Inherited from Old French affre, afre, from Old Occitan affre (“horror”), from Gothic 𐌰𐌹𐍆𐍂𐍃 (aifrs), from Proto-Germanic *aibraz (“horrible, terrible”).

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

affres f pl (plural only)

1. (plural only) torment, torture, pain
   • 1921, Marcel Proust, Sodome et Gomorrhe:

     [I]l ne doutait pas que je l’ignorasse, et surtout il s’en effrayait. Aussi disait-il «vous le savez» pour s’éviter à lui-même les affres qu’il traverserait en prononçant les phrases destinées à me l’apprendre.

     He had no doubt that I didn't know about it, and it frightened him. He also said "you know" to avoid the torment he felt in voicing those phrases that would inform me.

2. (plural only) throes

Further reading

• “affres”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.