carcan
French edit
Etymology edit
Borrowed from Medieval Latin carcanum (“collar”), the etymology of which is unknown.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
carcan m (plural carcans)
- yoke, shackles
- straitjacket
- 1985, “Partenaire Particulier”, in Jeux interdits, performed by Partenaire Particulier:
- J’en ai assez de ce carcan qui m’enferme dans toutes ses règles / Il me dit de rester dans la norme, mais l’on finit par s’y ennuyer
- I've had enough of this straitjacket that hems me in with all its rules / It tells me to stay within the norm, but if you do that you end up bored
Further reading edit
- “carcan”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.