How would you like to use PONS.com?

Already a PONS subscriber?
Log in here.

PONS with ads

Go to PONS.com as usual with ad tracking and advertisements.

You can find details of tracking in Information about data protection and under Privacy settings.

PONS Pur

without advertising by third parties

without ad tracking

Subscribe now

If you already have a user account for PONS.com, then you can subscribe to PONS Pur here.

Legal noticeData protectionPrivacy settings

Oxford-Hachette French Dictionary

French
French
English
English

I. serrer [seʀe] VB trans

1. serrer (maintenir vigoureusement) personne:

serrer volant, rame
to grip
ne serrez pas le volant, détendez-vous
don't grip the steering wheel, relax
si tu serres bien la corde tu ne risqueras rien
if you grip the rope tightly you'll be OK
serrer qc dans sa main pièce, bonbon, crayon, clé
to grip [sth] in one's hand
serrer qn/qc dans ses bras
to hug sb/sth
serrer qn/qc contre sa poitrine
to hug sb/sth to one's chest
serrer qc entre ses cuisses/genoux
to grip sth between one's thighs/knees
serrer qc entre ses dents
to clench sth between one's teeth
serrer le poignet/cou de qn
to squeeze sb's wrist/neck
serrer la main de ou la pince inf à qn
to shake hands with sb
elle a serré la main du ministre
she shook hands with the minister
serrer les poings
to clench one's fists
la peur me serrait la gorge
my throat was constricted with fear
ça me serre le cœur de voir ça
it wrings my heart to see that

2. serrer (ajuster) personne:

serrer corset, ceinture, nœud
to tighten
serrer ficelle
to tighten
serre bien tes lacets
do your shoelaces up tight
tu as trop serré ton nœud de cravate
your tie is too tight
serrer son peignoir autour de sa taille
to pull one's dressing-gown around oneself
mon chignon n'est pas assez serré
my bun is (too) loose

3. serrer (tenir à l'étroit):

serrer chaussures, vêtement:
to be too tight
mon pantalon me serre
my trousers are too tight Brit
mon pantalon me serre
my pants are too tight Am
ça me serre à la taille/aux épaules/aux mollets
it's too tight around my waist/across my shoulders/around my calves

4. serrer (bloquer):

serrer écrou, vis, boulon
to tighten
serrer robinet
to turn [sth] off tightly
serrer une pièce dans un étau
to grip a part in a vice
ne serrez pas trop
don't overtighten
sans serrer fixer, visser
loosely

5. serrer (être près de):

serrer le trottoir automobiliste:
to hug the kerb Brit ou curb Am
serrer l'accotement
to drive very close to the edge of the road
serrer à droite/gauche véhicule:
to move close to the right/left of the road
serrer un cycliste contre le trottoir voiture:
to force a cyclist up against the pavement Brit ou sidewalk Am
serrer qn de près concurrent:
to be hot on sb's tail

6. serrer (rapprocher):

serrer livres, tables, objets
to push [sth] closer together (contre against)
serrer personne
to squeeze (dans in, contre against)
être serré livres, personnes:
to be packed together
nous sommes trop serrés dans la cuisine
there are too many of us in the kitchen
serrer les rangs lit, fig
to close ranks

7. serrer (étudier en profondeur):

serrer un sujet/problème de près
to study a subject/problem closely

8. serrer (réduire):

serrer budget, dépenses, prix
to cut
essayer de serrer les coûts
to try to cut costs

9. serrer NAUT:

serrer voile
to furl
serrer le vent
to sail close to the wind

10. serrer (ranger) liter, region:

serrer objet précieux, économies
to stow [sth] away

II. se serrer VB refl

1. se serrer (se rapprocher de):

se serrer personnes:
to squeeze up (autour de around, dans in)
serrez-vous pour faire de la place
squeeze up to make room
ma voiture est petite, il va falloir se serrer
my car is small, we'll have to squeeze up
se serrer contre qc/qn
to squeeze up against sth/sb
ils se sont serrés les uns contre les autres
they huddled together

2. se serrer (se comprimer):

se serrer dans une jupe/un pantalon
to squeeze oneself into a skirt/a pair of trousers Brit ou pants Am
nous nous sommes serré la main
we shook hands

3. se serrer (se contracter):

avoir le cœur qui se serre
to feel deeply upset
avoir la gorge qui se serre (d'émotion)
to have a lump in one's throat
avoir la gorge qui se serre (de peur, trac)
to have one's heart in one's mouth

III. serrer [seʀe]

serrer la pince inf ou louche inf ou cuiller inf à qn
to shake sb's hand
serrer ou resserrer les boulons lit
to tighten the bolts
serrer ou resserrer les boulons fig
to tighten things up
English
English
French
French
squeeze up
se serrer
crowd together
se serrer
clench
serrer
to clench one's fist
serrer le poing
to clench one's teeth/jaws
serrer les dents/mâchoires
to clench sth between one's teeth
serrer qc entre les dents
huddle together
se serrer les uns contre les autres
hang together
se serrer les coudes
torque
serrer
close up group:
se serrer
close up troops:
serrer les rangs
tighten lid, screw, strap
serrer
tighten lips:
se serrer
she felt her throat tighten
elle sentait sa gorge se serrer
to tighten one's belt fig
se serrer la ceinture

in the PONS Dictionary

French
French
English
English

I. serrer [seʀe] VB trans

1. serrer (tenir en exerçant une pression):

serrer
to squeeze
serrer qn/qc dans ses bras/contre soi
to hold sb/sth in one's arms/against oneself
serrer qn à la gorge
to strangle sb

2. serrer (contracter):

serrer dents, mâchoires, poings
to clench
serrer lèvres
to tighten
avoir la gorge serrée
to have a lump in one's throat
il a le cœur serré devant qc
sth brings a lump to his throat
serrer les fesses fig inf
to be scared stiff

3. serrer (rendre très étroit):

serrer ceinture, nœud
to tighten

4. serrer (se tenir près de):

serrer qn/qc
to keep close behind sb/sth
serrer une femme fig
to chat a woman up
serrer qn/qc contre un mur
to wedge sb/sth against a wall
serre bien ta droite!
keep to the right!

5. serrer (rapprocher):

serrer invités
to squeeze up
serrer les lignes/les mots
to pack the lines/words closer together
serrer les rangs
to close ranks
être serrés personnes, objets
to be squashed together

6. serrer (restreindre):

serrer budget
to cut back
serrer dépenses
to cut back on
serrer les délais
to bring the deadlines forward

II. serrer [seʀe] VB intr

serrer à droite/à gauche
to keep to the right/left

III. serrer [seʀe] VB refl se serrer

1. serrer (se rapprocher):

se serrer
to squeeze up
se serrer contre qn
to squeeze up against sb
serrons-nous autour du feu!
let's huddle around the fire!

2. serrer (se contracter):

sa gorge se serre
his throat tightened

Phrases:

se serrer la ceinture inf
to tighten one's belt
serrer les fesses inf
to be scared out of one's wits
serrer les fesses inf
to have the wind up Brit
se serrer les coudes
to stick together
English
English
French
French
clench
serrer dans les mains
to clench one's fist
serrer les poings
tighten
serrer
to tighten one's belt
se serrer la ceinture
to tighten the screw
serrer la vis
to grit one's teeth
serrer les dents
huddle together
se serrer l'un contre l'autre/les uns contre les autres
loosely
sans serrer
clamp
serrer
to clasp sb/sth in one's arms
serrer qn/qc dans ses bras
in the PONS Dictionary
French
French
English
English

I. serrer [seʀe] VB trans

1. serrer (tenir en exerçant une pression):

serrer
to squeeze
serrer qn/qc dans ses bras/contre soi
to hold sb/sth in one's arms/against oneself
serrer qn à la gorge
to strangle sb

2. serrer (contracter):

serrer dents, mâchoires, poings
to clench
serrer lèvres
to tighten
avoir la gorge serrée
to have a lump in one's throat
il a le cœur serré devant qc
sth brings a lump to his throat
serrer les fesses fig inf
to be scared stiff

3. serrer (rendre très étroit):

serrer ceinture, nœud
to tighten

4. serrer (se tenir près de):

serrer qn/qc
to keep close behind sb/sth
serrer une femme fig
to come on to a woman
serrer qn/qc contre un mur
to wedge sb/sth against a wall
serre bien ta droite!
keep to the right!

5. serrer (rapprocher):

serrer invités
to squeeze up
serrer les lignes/les mots
to pack the lines/words closer together
serrer les rangs
to close ranks
être serrés personnes, objets
to be squashed together

6. serrer (restreindre):

serrer budget
to cut back
serrer dépenses
to cut back on
serrer les délais
to bring the deadlines forward

II. serrer [seʀe] VB intr

serrer à droite/à gauche
to keep to the right/left

III. serrer [seʀe] VB refl se serrer

1. serrer (se rapprocher):

serrer personnes
to squeeze up
se serrer contre qn
to squeeze up against sb

2. serrer (se contracter):

sa gorge se serre
his throat tightened

Phrases:

se serrer la ceinture inf
to tighten one's belt
serrer les fesses inf
to be scared out of one's wits
se serrer les coudes
to stick together
serrer le kiki à qn
to throttle sb
English
English
French
French
clench
serrer dans les mains
to clench one's fist
serrer les poings
tighten
serrer
to tighten one's belt
se serrer la ceinture
to tighten the screw
serrer la vis
to grit one's teeth
serrer les dents
huddle together
se serrer l'un contre l'autre/les uns contre les autres
clamp
serrer
to clasp sb/sth in one's arms
serrer qn/qc dans ses bras
Présent
jeserre
tuserres
il/elle/onserre
nousserrons
vousserrez
ils/ellesserrent
Imparfait
jeserrais
tuserrais
il/elle/onserrait
nousserrions
vousserriez
ils/ellesserraient
Passé simple
jeserrai
tuserras
il/elle/onserra
nousserrâmes
vousserrâtes
ils/ellesserrèrent
Futur simple
jeserrerai
tuserreras
il/elle/onserrera
nousserrerons
vousserrerez
ils/ellesserreront
See further verb tables

Examples from the PONS Dictionary (editorially verified)

serrer qn/qc dans ses bras/contre soi
to hold sb/sth in one's arms/against oneself
serrer qn à la gorge
to strangle sb
serrer qn/qc
to keep close behind sb/sth
serrer une femme fig
to chat a woman up
serrer qn/qc contre un mur
to wedge sb/sth against a wall

Browse the dictionary

Look up "serrer" in other languages

fr flagde flag French German
dev
dev
dev
dev