coupe claire

French

Etymology

From woodcutting; the idea being that one can now see easily in the forest, because it was heavily felled and a lot of it has been cleared.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kup klɛʁ/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

coupe claire f (plural coupes claires)

1. (forestry) heavy felling
2. (figuratively, chiefly in the plural) drastic cuts

   faire des coupes claires dans quelque chose ― to make drastic cuts, to make swingeing cuts, to make substantial cutbacks

See also

• coupe sombre
• coupe rase
• coupe à blanc
• coupe réglée