Galères (en. Galleys)

/ɡa.leʁ/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishFrench
noun
An oared ship used in antiquity and the Middle Ages.
Galleys transported goods across the Mediterranean.
Les galères transportaient des marchandises à travers la Méditerranée.
Arduous work or a difficult task.
He had to struggle against hardships to achieve his goals.
Il a dû se battre contre des galères pour arriver à ses fins.

Etymology

From Latin 'galera', meaning 'oared ship'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

to work like a galley slave
to suffer in terms of work
travailler aux galères
to be in dire straits
to be in trouble
être dans les galères

Related Words

galley slave
A person who suffers from a difficult situation.
galérien
to toil
To face difficulties in a work context.
galérer

Slang Meanings

To be in a difficult or annoying situation.
I'm in a bind with this project that has to be finished by tomorrow.
Je suis dans les galères avec ce projet qui doit être fini demain.
To have financial problems.
With my current expenses, I'm really in a tough spot.
Avec mes dépenses actuelles, je suis vraiment dans les galères.