cotton on in the Oxford-Hachette French Dictionary

Translations for cotton on in the English»French Dictionary

cotton [Brit ˈkɒt(ə)n, Am ˈkɑtn] N

I.top [Brit tɒp, Am tɑp] N

II.top [Brit tɒp, Am tɑp] ADJ

1. top (highest):

dernier/-ière
top division SPORTS
premier/-ière
to get top marks SCHOOL

IV.top <pres part topping; pret, pp topped> [Brit tɒp, Am tɑp] VB trans

to top oneself refl < pres part topping; pret, pp topped> inf:

il pousse! inf
to be the tops inf, dated

I.cheap [Brit tʃiːp, Am tʃip] ADJ

1. cheap article, meal, cut of meat, flight, service:

to be cheap inv

II.cheap [Brit tʃiːp, Am tʃip] ADV inf

I.hold <pret, pp held> [Brit həʊld, Am hoʊld] VB trans

II.hold <pret, pp held> [Brit həʊld, Am hoʊld] VB intr

IV.hold [Brit həʊld, Am hoʊld] N

See also take, seize, grasp, grab, catch up, catch out, catch

I.take [Brit teɪk, Am teɪk] N

II.take <pret took, pp taken> [Brit teɪk, Am teɪk] VB trans

10. take (require) activity, course of action:

III.take <pret took, pp taken> [Brit teɪk, Am teɪk] VB intr

I.grasp [Brit ɡrɑːsp, Am ɡræsp] N

II.grasp [Brit ɡrɑːsp, Am ɡræsp] VB trans

I.grab [Brit ɡrab, Am ɡræb] N

II.grab <pres part grabbing; pret, pp grabbed> [Brit ɡrab, Am ɡræb] VB trans

III.grab <pres part grabbing; pret, pp grabbed> [Brit ɡrab, Am ɡræb] VB intr

I.catch up VB [Brit katʃ -, Am kætʃ, kɛtʃ -] (catch up)

II.catch up VB [Brit katʃ -, Am kætʃ, kɛtʃ -] (catch [sb/sth] up)

III.catch up VB [Brit katʃ -, Am kætʃ, kɛtʃ -] (catch [sth] up in) (tangle)

I.catch out VB [Brit katʃ -, Am kætʃ, kɛtʃ -] (catch [sb] out)

I.catch [Brit katʃ, Am kætʃ, kɛtʃ] N

II.catch <pret, pp caught> [Brit katʃ, Am kætʃ, kɛtʃ] VB trans

14. catch SPORTS → catch out

15. catch (trick) → catch out

16. catch (manage to reach) → catch up

III.catch <pret, pp caught> [Brit katʃ, Am kætʃ, kɛtʃ] VB intr

I.board [Brit bɔːd, Am bɔrd] N

IV.board [Brit bɔːd, Am bɔrd] VB trans

I.side [Brit sʌɪd, Am saɪd] N

1. side (part):

␂enfrenre-Brit-s␂ in behalf of ␂enfrenre-Am-s␂">

I.on [Brit ɒn, Am ɑn, ɔn] PREP When on is used as a straightforward preposition expressing position (on the beach, on the table) it is generally translated by sur: sur la plage, sur la table; on it is translated by dessus: there's a table over there, put the key on it = il y a une table là-bas, mets la clé dessus.
on is often used in verb combinations in English (depend on, rely on, cotton on etc.). For translations, consult the appropriate verb entry (depend, rely, cotton on etc.).
If you have doubts about how to translate a phrase or expression beginning with on (on demand, on impulse, on top etc.) consult the appropriate noun or other entry (demand, impulse, top etc.).
This dictionary contains usage notes on such topics as dates, islands, rivers etc. Many of these use the preposition on. For the index to these notes .
For examples of the above and further uses of on, see the entry below.

1. on (position):

II.on [Brit ɒn, Am ɑn, ɔn] ADJ

III.on [Brit ɒn, Am ɑn, ɔn] ADV

IV.on [Brit ɒn, Am ɑn, ɔn] on and off, a. off and on ADV

VI.on [Brit ɒn, Am ɑn, ɔn]

See also cotton on, top, turn on, try, tranquillizer, tie, switch on, slap, sew, screw, rely, read, put, press, PIN, pill, pep pill, pat, overtime, odds, now, move, live2, live1, lip-read, later, late, jump, impulse, house, hour, horseback, hit, hang, grant, go, get, garlic press, foot, expense, DOT, dole, direct hit, depend, demand, credit, cider press, carry, antibiotic

cotton on VB [Brit ˈkɒt(ə)n -, Am ˈkɑtn -] inf

I.top [Brit tɒp, Am tɑp] N

II.top [Brit tɒp, Am tɑp] ADJ

1. top (highest):

dernier/-ière
top division SPORTS
premier/-ière
to get top marks SCHOOL

IV.top <pres part topping; pret, pp topped> [Brit tɒp, Am tɑp] VB trans

to top oneself refl < pres part topping; pret, pp topped> inf:

il pousse! inf
to be the tops inf, dated

I.turn on VB [Brit təːn -, Am tərn -] (turn on)

II.turn on VB [Brit təːn -, Am tərn -] (turn on [sth], turn [sth] on)

III.turn on VB [Brit təːn -, Am tərn -] (turn [sb] on, turn on [sb] inf)

I.try <pl tries> [Brit trʌɪ, Am traɪ] N

II.try <pl tries> [Brit trʌɪ, Am traɪ] VB trans <pret, pp tried>

2. try (test out):

III.try <pl tries> [Brit trʌɪ, Am traɪ] VB intr <pret, pp tried>

1. try (make attempt):

IV.try <pl tries> [Brit trʌɪ, Am traɪ]

tranquillizer, tranquilizer Am [Brit ˈtraŋkwɪlʌɪzə, Am ˈtræŋkwəˌlaɪzər] N

I.tie [Brit tʌɪ, Am taɪ] N

II.tie <pres part tying> [Brit tʌɪ, Am taɪ] VB trans

III.tie <pres part tying> [Brit tʌɪ, Am taɪ] VB intr

IV.to tie oneself to VB refl

I.switch on VB [Brit swɪtʃ -, Am swɪtʃ -] (switch on) ELEC

II.switch on VB [Brit swɪtʃ -, Am swɪtʃ -] (switch on [sth], switch [sth] on)

I.slap [Brit slap, Am slæp] N

II.slap [Brit slap, Am slæp] ADV

slap → slap bang

III.slap <pres part slapping; pret, pp slapped> [Brit slap, Am slæp] VB trans

I.sew <pret sewed; pp sewn, sewed> [Brit səʊ, Am soʊ] VB trans

II.sew <pret sewed; pp sewn, sewed> [Brit səʊ, Am soʊ] VB intr

I.screw [Brit skruː, Am skru] N

rely [Brit rɪˈlʌɪ, Am rəˈlaɪ] VB intr

I.read N [Brit riːd, Am rid] esp Brit

II.read <pret, pp read [red]> VB trans [Brit riːd, Am rid]

4. read (interpret):

III.read <pret, pp read [red]> VB intr [Brit riːd, Am rid]

read [riːd] [rid]:

I.put [Brit pʊt, Am pʊt] N

put FIN → put option

II.put <pres part putting, pret, pp put> [Brit pʊt, Am pʊt] VB trans

2. put (cause to go or undergo):

III.to put oneself in VB refl

I.press [Brit prɛs, Am prɛs] N

IV.to press oneself against VB refl

PIN [Brit pɪn, Am pɪn] N a. PIN number

I.pill [Brit pɪl, Am pɪl] N

II.pat [Brit pat, Am pæt] ADJ

III.pat <pres part patting; pret, pp patted> [Brit pat, Am pæt] VB trans

I.overtime [Brit ˈəʊvətʌɪm, Am ˈoʊvərˌtaɪm] N

II.overtime [Brit ˈəʊvətʌɪm, Am ˈoʊvərˌtaɪm] ADV

odds [Brit ɒdz, Am ɑdz] N npl

2. odds (chance, likelihood):

I.now [Brit naʊ, Am naʊ] CONJ

II.now [Brit naʊ, Am naʊ] ADJ (current)

III.now [Brit naʊ, Am naʊ] ADV

I.move [Brit muːv, Am muv] N

1. move:

2. move (proceed, travel):

I.live2 [Brit lʌɪv, Am laɪv] ADJ

II.live2 [Brit lʌɪv, Am laɪv] ADV

1. live:

3. live (remain alive):

live (gen) fig
I'll live! hum

lip-read <pret, pp lip-read [-red]> [Brit ˈlɪpriːd, Am ˈlɪprid] VB intr

later → late

I.late [Brit leɪt, Am leɪt] ADJ

1. late (after expected time):

tardif/-ive

2. late (towards end of day, season, life etc):

tardif/-ive
tardif/-ive

II.late [Brit leɪt, Am leɪt] ADV

2. late (towards end of time period):

à tout à l'heure!

I.jump [Brit dʒʌmp, Am dʒəmp] N

II.jump [Brit dʒʌmp, Am dʒəmp] VB trans

III.jump [Brit dʒʌmp, Am dʒəmp] VB intr

impulse [Brit ˈɪmpʌls, Am ˈɪmˌpəls] N

I.house N [Brit haʊs, Am haʊs]

I.hour [Brit ˈaʊə, Am ˈaʊ(ə)r] N

I.horseback [Brit ˈhɔːsbak, Am ˈhɔrsˌbæk] N

II.horseback [Brit ˈhɔːsbak, Am ˈhɔrsˌbæk] ADV Am

I.hit [Brit hɪt, Am hɪt] N

II.hit <pres part hitting, pret, pp hit> [Brit hɪt, Am hɪt] VB trans

I.hang [Brit haŋ, Am hæŋ] N (way something hangs) (of curtain, garment)

II.hang <pret, pp hung> [Brit haŋ, Am hæŋ] VB trans

III.hang <pret, pp hung> [Brit haŋ, Am hæŋ] VB intr

I.grant [Brit ɡrɑːnt, Am ɡrænt] N

II.grant [Brit ɡrɑːnt, Am ɡrænt] VB trans

1. go (move, travel):

aller (from de, to à, en)

18. go (extend in depth or scope):

II.go [Brit ɡəʊ, Am ɡoʊ] VB trans see usage note

III.go <pl goes> [Brit ɡəʊ, Am ɡoʊ] N

IV.go [Brit ɡəʊ, Am ɡoʊ] ADJ

he's all go inf!
it's all the go inf!
that was a near go inf!
to go off on one Brit inf
to go off like a frog in a sock Aus inf event:
there you go inf!

I.get <pres part getting, prét got, pp got, gotten Am> [ɡet] VB trans This much-used verb has no multi-purpose equivalent in French and therefore is very often translated by choosing a synonym: to get lunch = to prepare lunch = préparer le déjeuner.
get is used in many idiomatic expressions (to get something off one's chest etc.) and translations will be found in the appropriate entry (chest etc.). This is also true of offensive comments (get stuffed etc.) where the appropriate entry would be stuff.
Remember that when get is used to express the idea that a job is done not by you but by somebody else (to get a room painted etc.) faire is used in French followed by an infinitive (faire repeindre une pièce etc.).
When get has the meaning of become and is followed by an adjective (to get rich/drunk etc.) devenir is sometimes useful but check the appropriate entry (rich, drunk etc.) as a single verb often suffices (s'enrichir, s'enivrer etc.).
For examples and further uses of get see the entry below.

II.get <pres part getting, prét got, pp got, gotten Am> [ɡet] VB intr

get her inf!
get him inf in that hat!
to get it up vulg sl
bander vulg sl
to get it up vulg sl
to get one's in Am inf

I.foot <pl feet> [Brit fʊt, Am fʊt] N

1. foot ANAT:

à pied
my foot inf!
mon œil! inf

I.expense [Brit ɪkˈspɛns, ɛkˈspɛns, Am ɪkˈspɛns] N

III.expense [Brit ɪkˈspɛns, ɛkˈspɛns, Am ɪkˈspɛns]

dole [Brit dəʊl, Am doʊl] N inf Brit

depend [Brit dɪˈpɛnd, Am dəˈpɛnd] VB intr

I.demand [Brit dɪˈmɑːnd, Am dəˈmænd] N

II.demand [Brit dɪˈmɑːnd, Am dəˈmænd] VB trans

I.credit [Brit ˈkrɛdɪt, Am ˈkrɛdət] N

1. credit (approval):

III.credit [Brit ˈkrɛdɪt, Am ˈkrɛdət] VB trans

I.carry [Brit ˈkari, Am ˈkɛri] N (range)

II.carry [Brit ˈkari, Am ˈkɛri] VB trans

2. carry:

III.carry [Brit ˈkari, Am ˈkɛri] VB intr

I.antibiotic [Brit ˌantɪbʌɪˈɒtɪk, Am ˌæn(t)ibaɪˈɑdɪk, ˌænˌtaɪbaɪˈɑdɪk] N

II.antibiotic [Brit ˌantɪbʌɪˈɒtɪk, Am ˌæn(t)ibaɪˈɑdɪk, ˌænˌtaɪbaɪˈɑdɪk] ADJ

cotton on in the PONS Dictionary

Translations for cotton on in the English»French Dictionary

I.cotton [ˈkɒtn, Am ˈkɑ:tn] N

II.cotton [ˈkɒtn, Am ˈkɑ:tn] ADJ

See also onto, off

onto, on to [ˈɒntu:, Am ˈɑ:ntu:] PREP

III.off [ɒf, Am ɑ:f] ADJ inv

IV.off [ɒf, Am ɑ:f] N no pl Brit

V.off [ɒf, Am ɑ:f] VB trans Am inf (kill)

American English

Monolingual examples (not verified by PONS Editors)

English
These swabs have wooden or plastic stick handles with a cotton on synthetic tip.
en.wikipedia.org
There was also a cottage weaving industry in the village up to the 19th century with villagers weaving flax and then cotton on hand looms.
en.wikipedia.org
Provided that the white working class didn't cotton on, there were votes in it.
www.dailymail.co.uk
Blockade runners found with salt or cotton on them were hung on the road.
en.wikipedia.org
But this won't help your case once those back home cotton on.
au.news.yahoo.com
I think over time companies will cotton on to the idea that employees and people are key.
www.adnews.com.au
Cotton on the roadside, cotton in the ditch.
en.wikipedia.org
The product uses organic cotton on the outside but keeps the same petrochemical gel on the inside.
en.wikipedia.org
Weighed about 50g, and sometimes had a tuft of hair or cotton on the back edge to ensure a straight flight.
en.wikipedia.org
Once people cotton on to that, they start targeting it.
www.independent.ie

Would you like to add some words, phrases or translations?

Submit a new entry.

Look up "cotton on" in other languages


Choose your language Deutsch | Ελληνικά | English | Español | Français | Italiano | Polski | Português | Русский | Slovenščina | Srpski